The Bell System Technical Journal 



Vol. XX July, 1941 No. 3 



Industrial Mathematics* 



By THORNTON C. FRY 



The report consists of three major sections. The first discusses 

 mathematical speciaHsts in industry, calls attention to the essentially 

 consultative character of their work, and makes some observations 

 regarding the education, employment and supervision of this type of 

 personnel. 



The second section deals, not with the work of these specialists, but 

 with the uses to which mathematics is put at the hands of industrial 

 workers in general, the various ways in which it contributes to the 

 economy and effectiveness of research, and the kinds of mathematics 

 that are most used. A number of illustrations are given, together with 

 brief surveys of the utilization of mathematics in four important indus- 

 tries: communications, electrical manufacturing, petroleum and aircraft. 



The third section is devoted to statistics, which touches industrial 

 life at rather different points, and hence could not conveniently be in- 

 cluded in the general discussion. 



Introduction 



MATHEMATICAL technique is used in some form in most research 

 and development activities, but the men who use these techniques 

 would not usually be called mathematicians. 



Mathematicians also play an important role in industrial research, but 

 their services are of a special character and do not touch the development 

 program at nearly so many points. 



Because of this contrast between the ubiquity of mathematics and 



the fewness of the mathematicians, this report is divided into sharply 



differentiated parts. Under "Mathematicians in Industry" an attempt 



is made to explain what sort of service may be expected of industrial 



mathematicians, and to develop some principles of primary importance in 



employing and managing them. An attempt is also made to appraise 



future demand for men of this tj^e, and to discuss the sources from which 



they can be drawn. Under "Mathematics in Industry" appear brief 



surveys of the extent and character of the utilization of mathematics in a 



few special industries, and examples of specific problems in the solution of 



which mathematical methods have been necessary or advantageous. 



* This discussion of the part which Mathematics might play and to a certain extent 

 is playing in industry was prepared for the National Research Council Survey of Industrial 

 Research, a survey undertaken at the request of the National Resources Planning Board. 

 The document which the survey produced has been published as "Research — A National 

 Resource, Part II, Industrial Research" and is available through the Government Print- 

 ing Office. 



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