According to Jones(2010) in his study, Applying Mathematics to Physics and Engin

eering: Symbolic Forms of the Integral, perception exists that physics and engin
eering students experience difficulty in applying mathematics to physics and eng
ineering coursework. There is growing evidence of a perception among physics and
engineering educators that students are often unable to apply their mathematica
l knowledge successfully to their science courses. Some instructors are often sur
prised by how little math [their] students seem to know, despite successful perf
ormances in their math classes . Some educators claim that students can often perfo
rm mathematical operations correctly in the context of a math problem, but are u
nable to perform the same operations in the context of a physics problem . Many p
hysics and engineering students may indeed be learning from their mathematics cl
asses and may be successful at using mathematical concepts within the mathematic
s classroom. However, there is a growing perception among educators that student
s may not be applying this knowledge successfully in physics and engineering cou
rses. Recently there have been charges that mathematics education at the undergr
aduate level is not sufficiently equipping science majors for their field of stu
dy. Some educators warn of distressing gaps in the breadth of students education be
tween mathematics, physics, and engineering. Indeed, traditional mathematics ins
truction has been termed an old-fashioned part of the pillars of engineering educa
tion that should be revised to fit the current needs of today s world. There is co
ncern among businesses that this gap in education between mathematics, physics,
and engineering may lead to an engineering force that lacks the fundamental skil
ls to compete in today s competitive global market.