Expert: Paul Soderman - 7/24/2008

Question
Hello sir, I am a student of aeronautical engineering (now in 3rd year) from India. I am facing a lot of problems while dealing with the complex mathematics of aeronautical field (including all titles like aerodynamics, thrust, drag, stability and control and many others). So can you refer me any good site where I can get some basic idea about this complex maths or any good book specially based on maths involved in aeronautical field which has a simple and easy language to understand. Can you give me some advice to improve myself in this complex maths. I was an average student in maths till I join this field of engineering but now I have become dam confused and worst in it. I would also like to mention that I am planning to do MS in Aerospace from any good university of USA (I have secured good marks in GRE so I am pretty confident about admission), so do you think being weak in aeronautical maths I will face more problems while doing MS (aerospace) in USA ? does MS in aerospace includes more complex maths than undergraduate degree of aeronautical ? please help me to get out of this problem I am dam scared about it.

Answer
Sudarshan
I know of no special math book for aeronautical engineering.  Aero engineers use the same math as any scientist:  calculus, analytical geometry, algebra, trig, differential equations, partial differential equations, complex numbers, statistics, probability, matrix analysis, set theory, etc.  You can find those subjects in many math books and at many websites.  
Paul