Why do you need high math for computer science again?
- Thread starter Nocturnal
- Start date
I'd like to know too. I'm currently in my second semester of CS, and am taking PreCalc (again.. took it my senior year of HS and got an A, but didn't score high enough on the placement test to take calc.... The fact that I wasn't allowed to use a calculator had nothing to do with that, I'm sure) But I abhor math with a passion and would be very happy if I could earn my CS degree without 4 levels of Calculus.
Supermercado
Diamond Member
- Jan 18, 2002
- 5,893
- 0
- 76
Four levels of calculus? If I remember correctly, my school only requires five math classes for computer science: Calc I and II, discrete math, linear algebra, and statistics. Only the engineers (not even sure if this includes computer engineering or not) are required to take the next two levels of calc.
You really don't need to know calculus and physics to do computer science. I jsut think universities don't feel like you should be able to get a bachelor's of science degree without them.
when you get into the harder stuff math skills play an important role in designing efficient algorithms.
Also by learning calculas , linear algebra, and DE, very difficult problems can be made very easy.
complex software designs and effciency ratings can be proved mathametically.
math is argubaly the most important skill man has and will develop.
(spelling is not
)
Also by learning calculas , linear algebra, and DE, very difficult problems can be made very easy.
complex software designs and effciency ratings can be proved mathametically.
math is argubaly the most important skill man has and will develop.
(spelling is not
)You don't really for most software development jobs, but the math classes will hone your analytical / problem solving skills and beat the concept of algorithms into your brain
You'll use every bit of the math (and need more than the minimum requirements) for scientific applications (modeling / simulation), some kinds of hardware control, and for 3D graphics programming. For batch-processing checks or writing a word processor algebra and formal logic are really all that you need.
You'll use every bit of the math (and need more than the minimum requirements) for scientific applications (modeling / simulation), some kinds of hardware control, and for 3D graphics programming. For batch-processing checks or writing a word processor algebra and formal logic are really all that you need.
Calculus - because there is a good chance that you may have to model something using calculus sooner or later?
Differential Eqns - they're everywhere, especially if you model something physical (ever dream of making a video game?)
Linear Algebra - it makes solving large systems of equations of equations so much simpler. Eigenvectors/eigenvalues can remove remove some unneeded loops. Also, anything in 2d/3d uses basic linear algebra (rotation matrices, scaling matrices, etc)
I haven't taken a high-level stats and probability class so I can't point out specific examples oof applications, but I'm sure there's a bunch of them.
FWIW, Calc I and Linear Algebra aren't really high-level classes. They're compulsory here for anyone headed in anything that involves science
Neither calculus nor physics are prerequisites for any of the comp. sci. classes required for the major here.
because it teaches you logic, if you think you will use everything that you learned in school then you are wrong. These classes does not necessary suggest what you need to learn to do CS in the real world, instead it teaches you how to think logically to solve a problem and trains your mind for the real world.
Anubis
No Lifer
no. a buncg of my friends are comp sci majors they just have to take calc 1 and Descrete math which is all logic and proofs
I still have to take a couple calc classes and 2 physics classes, but they're not pre-reqs for the comp sci classes.
you need to know high math so you can make programs that solve high math problems for the math majors. kind of like how you need to know history in high school because we're all going to be history teachers. which is to say, you don't need it.
if they want to teach us to make algorithms they should teach us to make algorithms, not crunch meaningless numbers.
Siddhartha
Lifer
- Oct 17, 1999
- 12,505
- 3
- 81
how are you going to know if your algorithm is any good if you have no clue how to perform an analysis on it (which would require high levels of math smartness)?
because at some point in you academic career, you are going to have to prove runtime and functionality of algorithms. This requires some solid discrete and algebra skills.
It never ceases to amaze me how some people who just start college already know what are useless and what not.
I have a meteorology major student in my calc 3 class who told me within the first week of class that math is uselesss for his major.
I was speechless. Needless to say, he bombed my first exam. Made a 40 on the mid term. That made me think, maybe he doesnt hate math,
hes just plain dumb.
I have a meteorology major student in my calc 3 class who told me within the first week of class that math is uselesss for his major.
I was speechless. Needless to say, he bombed my first exam. Made a 40 on the mid term. That made me think, maybe he doesnt hate math,
hes just plain dumb.
Unless you really love CS and want to code for the rest of your life, 5 levels of calc is a waste of time. You're never going to be able to compete with the Asians who will work longer hours for less money, and it will drive you crazy knowing that people like you are a disposable commodity. OTOH, people with communication, leadership, and business skills are in much shorter supply.
depends on what you're competing for i guess...
you are probably write for most jobs... but i think being around businesspeople wannabes would drive me crazier.
i dont think its specifically for the CS degree, but for the bachelors of science in general. for my school, you'd need 3 levels of calculus (the entire sequence), and then 2 extra 'higher-up' math classes, as well as a full sequence + 2 upper classes of physics. however, to get the bachelors of ARTS in computer science, all that is needed is the calculus sequence and 1 singular science sequence (physics not required)
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