Want to major in CompSci...but I suck at math

[mcmilljb]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: mcmilljb

Originally posted by: Imdmn04

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: Imdmn04

An EE or CE would be one step closer to what you are describing, but still pretty far-fetched if you are not good at math.

Are you saying an EE or CE degree would be closer to assembling PCs than a CS degree? I'd have to disagree with that. Learning circuit theory and computer architecture is just as far removed from bulding PCs as computer science is. Plus CE/EE requires even more math than CS.

You acutally touch hardware in EE/CE, that's the point I am trying to make. Although designing hardware still doesn't have too much to do with assembling hardware, it is a remote step closer than CS. Being an EE/CE, at least you need to assemble/play around with your own design in the lab.

The touching of hardware I did in CE/EE was playing with electronic components (like resistors and IC's). That is no where near putting a computer together. If you want to put computer together and have a degree, you do IT/IS/MIS not CS/CE/EE. Now not all the math is hard calculus. You just have to figure out what you want to do and learn the skills required. If you cannot do simple math you do not have a shot at CS/CE/EE at all, and you will not like what you're doing. I just think people are not learning math in college preparatory schools that will prepare them for college which is sad because most of it is not difficult.

Seriously, the math CS majors have to do is not hard.
At least not compared to any engineering (except maybe software), physics/chemistry/ (might be about on par with chemistry actually), or a math major.

I disagree. CS majors should be doing the same math as CE/EE up to a point.
As a CE, I did 3 semesters of calculus, 1 semester of differential equations, 2 semesters of calculus based physics, 1 semester of linear algebra (you can substitute for another math class if you want), and 1 semester of statistics at a high level(upper division ugrad or entry-level grad).
What did the CS take that was different? No differential equations and an easier statistics.
They do not need to take a lot of math classes because the CS/CE classes will focus on the math they need in the class. Further study is done by taking advanced classes either in the field or in the math department(example: advanced geometry courses).

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: mcmilljb
The key words are embedded systems. Of course you are going to working with a lot of hardware.

I am curious to what type of embedded systems you are working on. I only had one class in embedded systems and was assembly programming on a Motorola 68000(boring). Nothign says waste of money like making leds flash.

A system composed of many software applications running on, and communicating between, dozens of SMPs. Operating systems are a combination of Linux, Solaris, and VxWorks. Most is done in C, C++, and Java.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Bah, I suck at math, got my BS in CS, and design missile guidance software for the DoD.

 

[mcmilljb]

Originally posted by: Jumpem

Originally posted by: mcmilljb
The key words are embedded systems. Of course you are going to working with a lot of hardware.

I am curious to what type of embedded systems you are working on. I only had one class in embedded systems and was assembly programming on a Motorola 68000(boring). Nothign says waste of money like making leds flash.

A system composed of many software applications running on, and communicating between, dozens of SMPs. Operating systems are a combination of Linux, Solaris, and VxWorks. Most is done in C, C++, and Java.

That actually sounds pretty cool.

 

[LongCoolMother]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
If you're not any good at math, CS is the wrong computer field for you. Get a CIS (Computer/Information Systems) degree under the Business college instead. There are less math requirements, but more Accounting requirements.

Hate to say it, but the computer programming industry is dying in the US as well. Most programming jobs are getting outsourced overseas now, which leaves fewer entry level CS jobs for graduates. If you really want to major in a growing industry, get into Medicine instead!

i heard the average salaries for people in the medical profession have been on a steady decline for the past decade or so...

 

[ViviTheMage]

they make you do the tough math because it helps you in your reasoning, proofs and stuff.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: Fox5

Seriously, the math CS majors have to do is not hard.
At least not compared to any engineering (except maybe software), physics/chemistry/ (might be about on par with chemistry actually), or a math major.

Maybe at your school. At my school, CS majors took the math classes math majors took, the physics/chem classes physics/chem majors took, etc. Not as far in depth as those majors go, but the core classes were the same (4 calc, discrete, linear alg, 2 prob/stat, diff equations, 3 physics, 3 chem)

Obviously those 400 level classes that we didn't take are the most advanced classes, but to say the math we took is easy is untrue.

OP, don't waste your time being a CS major, from the sounds of it you'll hate the classes and the end result isn't what you want anyway. Do CIS/IST.

Perhaps, at my school CS majors are required:
Calc 1 and 2 (there is no course called calc 4 offered at my school, btw)
Discrete Structures/Mathematics
Linear Algebra
a single Prob and Stat course
and 3 lab sciences, 2 of which have to be in sequence

As a physics major, the only additional math courses I had to take were ordinary differential equations and calc 3.
The combination of all the above courses got me an automatic math minor as well, which I thought was kind of lame.

The CE/EEs at my school take:
Calc 1 and 2
A combined Linear Algebra/Calc 3 course
And a differential equations course (which may cover the rest of linear algebra in it as well)
And they're required to take a couple courses that are determined by the faculty at the time they're offered in the respective junior and senior years, and one of them almost always turns out to be prob and stat, though it's not a hard requirement.

In all 3 majors, the most important skills tend to be taught in the courses themselves and use the math requirements just to make sure students have the necessary background, however all the CS courses I've taken so far build primarily from the discrete structures/logic side of things, though there are electives that build from prob and stat and linear algebra. You can get out of the program never touching anything beyond logic in the CS courses though.

 

[slpaulson]

Originally posted by: mcmilljb

Originally posted by: Jumpem

Originally posted by: Imdmn04
Computer Science has nothing to do with assemble/disassemble computers.

Computer Science is math and problem solving, at a very high level. You don't really do anything on the hardware level.

An EE or CE would be one step closer to what you are describing, but still pretty far-fetched if you are not good at math.

Depends on your job. I am a software engineer working on embedded systems. I deal with hardware daily.

The key words are embedded systems. Of course you are going to working with a lot of hardware.

I am curious to what type of embedded systems you are working on. I only had one class in embedded systems and was assembly programming on a Motorola 68000(boring). Nothign says waste of money like making leds flash.

Well, you gotta start somewhere. I also work on embedded systems. I recently spent time writing firmware for an 802.15.4 radio, and some other home brewed stuff.

 

[Kyteland]

Originally posted by: dds14u
As a CSE major, I can say that there a only a few computer science classes where you may encounter complicated math. Think more along the lines of programming languages, databases, operating systems, AI etc...

At the same time, you also need to know that Computer Science is more along the lines of software development, design or research if that's your thing. It's definitely not actually messing with the hardware itself...unless you're programming it.

As a CSE graduate I think you're nuts. There was so much math in my degree that I promptly got a job as a mathematician after graduating and am still doing it 5.5 years later. I'm thinking about going back and getting a masters in CS so I can brush up on some of my math skills.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

if you suck at anything math / science / computer related, you probably cant cut it at a top rate CS program

 

[dds14u]

Originally posted by: Kyteland
As a CSE graduate I think you're nuts. There was so much math in my degree that I promptly got a job as a mathematician after graduating and am still doing it 5.5 years later. I'm thinking about going back and getting a masters in CS so I can brush up on some of my math skills.

I had to take math up to linear algebra, discrete math / combinatorics, and differentials.

My point is, the actual CS classes themselves don't involve much advanced math.

 

[mcmilljb]

Originally posted by: slpaulson

Well, you gotta start somewhere. I also work on embedded systems. I recently spent time writing firmware for an 802.15.4 radio, and some other home brewed stuff.

I guess you have to see how the class went to understand why I think it was kind of pointless. It was great to learn assembly. I think it would have been better if we had studied assembly and then moved up to a higher language like C to show that compiler is making the same(or better) decisions for us. Part of the problem is the teacher did not really put together have a very challenging and interesting course, and he spent most of the time using buzz words trying to get us excited about these simple little projects. Maybe even implementing common algorithms like searching and sorting would have added more to the course. Embedded systems do not seem to be a big area of study at my university. Information security, AI/machine learning, and graphics/imaging are the 3 big areas of research.

 

[911paramedic]

I am in the same boat (CS boat) not bad at mathematics boat. This is a transfer sheet from the junior college I am attending, click on the "computer science" link and it will show you the transfer requirements for different universities. (I'm in CA)

Computer Science

Some require physics and chemistry, others only require upper level algebra. It really depends on the school. (Some even require biology??)

 

[torpid]

The hardest class for me was calc 3. All the other math classes were pretty easy. And calc 3 was only hard because I didn't really have any Calc 2 before taking it, but placed into calc 3 due to an AP score. I guess it depends on the university... there really wasn't THAT much math. Numerical Methods and Linear Algebra were kind of fun and not really that "mathy" compared to calc 3. The hardest part about math at my college was that both the professor and the TAs were often impossible to understand.

Aside from the required math courses, there really isn't much high level math in comp sci. Most if it is pretty rudimentary.

 

[3NF]

Originally posted by: 911paramedic
I am in the same boat (CS boat) not bad at mathematics boat. This is a transfer sheet from the junior college I am attending, click on the "computer science" link and it will show you the transfer requirements for different universities. (I'm in CA)

Computer Science

Some require physics and chemistry, others only require upper level algebra. It really depends on the school. (Some even require biology??)

It's good that some require physics and chemistry. Although you may not "use" any of it, it really gets you into the mindset of solving problems - provided of course that you don't take a physics/chem class where you can get away with "plug & chug".

 

[slpaulson]

Originally posted by: mcmilljb

Originally posted by: slpaulson

Well, you gotta start somewhere. I also work on embedded systems. I recently spent time writing firmware for an 802.15.4 radio, and some other home brewed stuff.

I guess you have to see how the class went to understand why I think it was kind of pointless. It was great to learn assembly. I think it would have been better if we had studied assembly and then moved up to a higher language like C to show that compiler is making the same(or better) decisions for us. Part of the problem is the teacher did not really put together have a very challenging and interesting course, and he spent most of the time using buzz words trying to get us excited about these simple little projects. Maybe even implementing common algorithms like searching and sorting would have added more to the course. Embedded systems do not seem to be a big area of study at my university. Information security, AI/machine learning, and graphics/imaging are the 3 big areas of research.

You'd be surprised how many times you'll have to go in and write a subroutine in assembly. There's also issues when using C that you really need to have a good understanding of assembly to solve.

 

[mcmilljb]

Originally posted by: slpaulson

Originally posted by: mcmilljb

Originally posted by: slpaulson

Well, you gotta start somewhere. I also work on embedded systems. I recently spent time writing firmware for an 802.15.4 radio, and some other home brewed stuff.

I guess you have to see how the class went to understand why I think it was kind of pointless. It was great to learn assembly. I think it would have been better if we had studied assembly and then moved up to a higher language like C to show that compiler is making the same(or better) decisions for us. Part of the problem is the teacher did not really put together have a very challenging and interesting course, and he spent most of the time using buzz words trying to get us excited about these simple little projects. Maybe even implementing common algorithms like searching and sorting would have added more to the course. Embedded systems do not seem to be a big area of study at my university. Information security, AI/machine learning, and graphics/imaging are the 3 big areas of research.

You'd be surprised how many times you'll have to go in and write a subroutine in assembly. There's also issues when using C that you really need to have a good understanding of assembly to solve.

And you make my point even better. The class would have been better if we discussed and practiced those situations. A friend of mine was telling me I should have applied for a job at Intel when I graduated because they had just opened a facility in town, but my lack of assembly knowledge for intel x86 made decide to shy away from that and already had a decent job at the time.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

<== BSEE that has done software engineering for 7 years.

You need to think of a different career. Engineering and Comp Sci are both math intensive.

One of hte comments about IT is probably your best bet.

 

[BarneyFife]

I was a little intimidated with the math part of engineering then I came up with the brilliant idea of saying to myself "if that idiot can pass this class, so can I". I ended up passing every math class and got my engineering degree