At work, the mathematics used by actuaries is not as complex as it seems. Actuaries mainly use probability, statistics and financial mathematics. They will calculate the probability that events will occur in each month in the future and then apply statistical methods to determine the estimated financial impact. Calculation is mandatory in actuarial mathematics because this subject of mathematics has to do with change.
Many problems solved by actuaries involve changes over time. Examples include how a variable changes with the age of the study population or mechanical reliability changes with operating hours. The calculation provides the functions for describing systems and the means for evaluating the limits of those systems. Integral calculus sums changes in a variable over time and differential calculus analyzes changes per unit of time.
For the most part, actuaries work in the insurance industry, where they calculate and determine the costs of risks and the probability of events using mathematics, statistics, probability, and financial theory. Most actuarial programs achieve this by integrating calculations I and II into the core curriculum from the start and then making students progress to multivariable calculus. Governments use actuarial mathematics to assess the probabilities and effects of simulated foreign policy decisions. To excel in this professional field, not to mention that to pass the series of actuarial exams necessary to obtain associate level certification in this profession, you will need a strong background in high-level mathematics.
Some of the possible statistics courses you can take as a specialization in actuarial science include the foundations of probability, statistical data analysis, applied statistics, linear regression, and mathematical statistics. Other specialized courses may include actuarial models, actuarial analysis, financial economics for actuaries, corporate finance for actuaries, actuarial probability, and a practice or seminar in actuarial science. Although not math courses in and of themselves, finance courses are an important part of an actuarial science student's curriculum. Part of what you cover in your statistics course may be the R coding language, which is widely used in the field of actuarial science for statistical computing.
Actuarial science refers to the unique combination of several different fields of study; it is intended to provide quantifiable guidelines for business decisions involving risk assessment. Actuarial science students also usually take a semester of linear algebra, as well as optional subjects in differential equations and discrete and continuous mathematical models. People's actions and events in their lives are studied as part of actuarial mathematics using statistics and probability to predict future outcomes. Calculus at the university level may be one of the most difficult courses some students take, but for those who specialize in actuarial science, it's just the beginning.
Thanks to the six-figure average salary of an actuary, a bachelor's degree in actuarial science is among the best degrees for the highest-paid business careers. Calculus is an important topic of study for actuaries, but they often use this branch of mathematics more indirectly, in the sense that it underlies the branches of mathematics that they use more frequently, rather than in a direct sense.
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