Concepts every computer science student must understand?

[AmiNeo]

Its a shame you don't live closer my friend, I could have you writing algorithms using equations within a week =)

I will have a look to see if there is any on-line white-boarding type software that we could use.

Of that I have no doubt Keith I would have enjoyed that a lot, too!

I have a ton of coursework to do over the next 3 weeks, mad rush to the hand in dates as we finish mid May, we've just been told there's more we need to do for something most of us finished a while back, mostly additional quotations and reorganising of evidence on top of the assignments we still have left to complete but as soon as that's done I'll be getting stuck in to the Maths and languages and it would be very awesome if we could do something around then

As always, I appreciate all the support guys!

 

[ChaosLord]

@Zetro

If u give a class lemme know I would be keen to attend. If I am alive at that exact moment.

The DRAM in my brain has not been refreshed in forever. And I might have corrupt bits in there.

 

[AmiNeo]

Just reporting in, and I haven't managed to get through half as much of this as I would have liked. Distractions, disatser and responsibility left right and center and no consoles to de-stress on!

How much of this should I be expected to know at an end of second year level? If not all of it then phew there's hope yet.

Would it be considered normal to still have a lot of maths to learn going into third year? I'd say I'm barely half way through As level right now. Considering enquiring about any extra maths classes I can take alongside third year...

 

[queenfan]

AmiNeo, what is your declared major?
I may talk somewhat different in terminology because i'm a Yank .

I was a networking and systems design major, but, i did that because 10 years ago my math was very weak.

I ended up taking 8 years off, then completing my degree and luckily getting a very very strong Applied Calculus teacher who reviewed issues which he found deficient in his class (due to our wonderful education system, and some of the university's own shortcomings due to a couple of tenured professors mucking it up) and i got very very good at my math, so much so that I actually would like to pursue a math associates degree in my spare time to add to my resume.

I am however quite versed in C, C++ , and Java, along with some old experience at Assembler.

What language are they teaching you?
You said pointers so I assume C/C++.
Java is nice but it shouldn't necessarily be what they start with, they need to teach MEMORY MANAGEMENT and care for cleanup.
I have sped my Java programs up numerous times by setting an array to null to clean it up and leave a hint.

Also, i'd hate to do maths in Java, when it doesn't do Pointers and objects consume memory.

If you are concerned about your maths, grab some texts from the book store and get started.
I liked my applied calc class because the exercises were less abstract and it got me to MultiVariable calculus faster.
You MUST get to and through Linear (again, i had Applied Linear) as there innumerable amounts of work done with Matrice.

I am deeply perplexed that you feel you don't have full maths in the second year.
Here in Maryland, my school, UMBC, uses Calc I and II to weed out the weaker from the strong. Essentially, If you aren't doing great in math, you are advised to switch to Information Systems / Networking from Programming and Computer Engineering.
What SUCKED for me was that I was an IS/N major when it wasn't Applied Calc/Linear, but Calc I and II as well for us.
However, all of these years later, after conquering Applied Calc and Linear, i go back through my old Calc I/II book and realize that I learned Most of all of those concepts, just nothing doing with Trig functions. After straightening them out in my head, I can work through the level I was afraid of 10 years ago and failing miserably at.

 

[AmiNeo]

Thanks for the response. Ive been doing networking for years but had very little luck finding work, in my area, i dont drive because of some medical issues so i switched to a cs degree, as programming is something ive wanted to get into for a long time and would be much easier to find work where i didnt need to travel. I really enjoy it.

Due to my background and having spent 3 years of my school life in hospital, I didnt get a chance to do advanced math in school.

The path im on was foundation degree with a top up 3 rd year which im now prepping for.

Languages learned were java and then c sharp in second year.

Next year is objective c and PROLOG mostly.

Ive mentioned pointers before now because I simply want to understand them ahead of schedule. Lol.

I've got about 6 weeks before the term starts but I'm determined not to give up. Anything I don't understand I will damn well make sure I do.

 

[queenfan]

I am confounded.
Pointers LATER?

Well. The Pointer is nearly a symbolic link in programming space.
int A = 0;
int *APtr = A;

if you print the integer at APtr, using *APtr it will be Zero.
Now, you can do int B = 999;
and APtr = B;
now *APtr will have a value of 999.
You can also have Pointers to Functions and arrays of Functions as such with modifications to the above observation, though, the later example is quite rare practically.

As such, a pointer will EXECUTE it's code or find it's data in the same space in memory as the function or data instead of creating another instance of that item.

Also, the Reference , you might see in C as &ItemName is the address of that item in memory.
As such
int &ARef = A;
You use ARef exclusively as you would A. Think of References as dedicated clones at the same space in memory. References can't be reassigned once assigned.
You don't dereference a reference, you just use it, so you would print
ARef directly, not using a pointer operator, the star '*' to reach the value.

You'll learn about Pointer Arithmatic when you get to it, that DOES work on references, however, you must ADDRESS the reference, like dereferencing a pointer, to do that. It will skip you through an array usually.
&ARef+5 will get you the 5th element of an array of int if that is an array, otherwise you've got a program error.

Anyone who wishes is welcome to explain or correct, I've been working out of the C classes for quite some time.

http://www.embedded.com/electronics-blogs/programming-pointers/4024641/An-Introduction-to-References

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/...-pointer-variable-and-reference-variable-in-c

 

[queenfan]

Finally some clarification...


@ Keith no and no on the first post, I know i=1 in a programming context, which would assign a variable i the value of 1 (or more accurately set a pointer labeled i to an area in memory holding the value of 1) but that's all. The only other familiar thing there is Dijkstra's algorithm, which has been mentioned in networking, a few routing protocols use it to determine their route metrics, but the closest to it we've been taught is a little on binary tree's which isn't really much at all.

I have already purchased that exact AS level book you directed me to so looks like I'm off to a fair start. I've not had it long though and I'm currently brushing up on the basics (running through a GCSE revision book before I start on it) since its been a while since I've had to do any maths beyond binary calculations in networking for things like variable length subnet masks.

My chosen modules next year will be... Advanced Programming, Modern Database Management Systems, Intelligent Technologies (AI, hence why I was looking for logic reading material) and Multimedia Games Programming. Then of course, the dissertation project. I'm so far also the only one taking that much programming on in my final year, so you can see where my concerns are coming from.



Based on the above responses, I think I'm going to have my spare time nicely mapped out over the summer, well between now and September really.

I just noticed this post.

How are you with Linear Algebra, applied Matricies, Game Theory, and Calculus? They aren't to be totally feared, just asking.
The MATHS Demystified books series here in the states were pretty good to me. Calculus, Linear Algebra, Algebra, instead of the world MATHS there.

 

[AmiNeo]

Finally some clarification...


@ Keith no and no on the first post, I know i=1 in a programming context, which would assign a variable i the value of 1 (or more accurately set a pointer labeled i to an area in memory holding the value of 1) but that's all. The only other familiar thing there is Dijkstra's algorithm, which has been mentioned in networking, a few routing protocols use it to determine their route metrics, but the closest to it we've been taught is a little on binary tree's which isn't really much at all.

I have already purchased that exact AS level book you directed me to so looks like I'm off to a fair start. I've not had it long though and I'm currently brushing up on the basics (running through a GCSE revision book before I start on it) since its been a while since I've had to do any maths beyond binary calculations in networking for things like variable length subnet masks.

My chosen modules next year will be... Advanced Programming, Modern Database Management Systems, Intelligent Technologies (AI, hence why I was looking for logic reading material) and Multimedia Games Programming. Then of course, the dissertation project. I'm so far also the only one taking that much programming on in my final year, so you can see where my concerns are coming from.



Based on the above responses, I think I'm going to have my spare time nicely mapped out over the summer, well between now and September really.

I just noticed this post.

How are you with Linear Algebra, applied Matricies, Game Theory, and Calculus? They aren't to be totally feared, just asking.
The MATHS Demystified books series here in the states were pretty good to me. Calculus, Linear Algebra, Algebra, instead of the world MATHS there.

Currently working my way through Calculus (and enjoying it I might add), I've subscribed to a course I can work through as quickly as I like. Linear Algebra I've done a bit of in the past (watched a few lectures, I understand the basics) and will work through it again once my Calculus becomes routine. Matricies I assume are arrays to the programming world? I've worked with them in C# and while I'm inexperienced with them, they're also now on my lost of Maths to cover I also have all the books Zetr0 recomended to me for reference and excercises. Based on this, I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere

 

[Zetr0]

What if I put some examples of Code to Algorithm and Vice Versa in the coding section.

I will start small and build up some serious Divide and Conqueror / Run Length Encoding algorithms?

I will have a chat with the team see if its something we can do officially, and see if some other members of staff would help me =)

 

[AmiNeo]

What if I put some examples of Code to Algorithm and Vice Versa in the coding section.

I will start small and build up some serious Divide and Conqueror / Run Length Encoding algorithms?

I will have a chat with the team see if its something we can do officially, and see if some other members of staff would help me =)

Sounds great Keith! Also, if I get around to it before term starts, I want to develop that website I slapped together and get an Amibay-like forum going for noob programmers to learn some basics and things as part of it.

If I get it done before term begins I'll send everyone a link so you can sign up

 

[Zetr0]

That sounds interesting,

I will have a bit of chin wagger with our AndyLandy and see what best to be done =)

 

[AmiNeo]

Thanks Keith, appreciate it a lot.