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Mathematics for Computer Science

courses.csail.mit.edu

21–26 of 26 posts

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science

#21
post #15

Just a question for CS graduates here, how many Math courses were required to major in CS? When I was an undergraduate the bare minimum was: - 2 algebra (number theory + linear algebra) - 2 calculus (single variable) - 2 statistics - 1 logic - 1 combinatorics (graph theory + enumeration) There was no "Math for CS" course per say, there was just math you should know. And that was the bare minimum for a BCS, the BMath…

I'm probably going to be the sore one out when people from better schools start posting replies, but at my school which has a very small computer science department (so small that I'm not even doing the CS major even though I'm a professional) only requires: - Calculus I - Calculus II - Introductory Statistics

Somewhat the same here. My state school required these:

- College Algebra (part of the state-mandated core for all degrees)

- Calculus 1

- Discrete Mathematics

- Probability and Statistics (4000-level course)

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science

#22

Just a question for CS graduates here, how many Math courses were required to major in CS? When I was an undergraduate the bare minimum was: - 2 algebra (number theory + linear algebra) - 2 calculus (single variable) - 2 statistics - 1 logic - 1 combinatorics (graph theory + enumeration) There was no "Math for CS" course per say, there was just math you should know. And that was the bare minimum for a BCS, the BMath…

- 3 algebra (linear algebra + number theory + abstract algebra)

- 4 calculus (!)

- 3 statistics (2 basic + stochastic processes)

Besides, there was a quite a bit of discrete math in mandatory theoretical CS subjects: Algorithm Analysis, Graph Algorithms, Formal Languages, Boolean Algebra, Formal Methods, etc. But I wouldn't count these as "math" proper.

We also had 2 or 3 mandatory Physics subjects. I wasn't interested in physics and found them pretty useless. Some professors justified them as an "application of advanced calculus", while the advanced calculus subjects were touted as essential to a proper understanding of physics.

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science

#23

I took this class (6.042) as a sophomore a few semesters ago. I wasn't terribly good at it. Additionally, the professor and staff were a real pain in the ass, so I didn't really have the best experience. I remember they were writing this text my year. They made us do reading assignments critiquing each section. They were basically having us proofread it for them.

I think this is somewhat standard practice in classes where the prof is writing a book. I think I've done it a couple of times, at least. (By the way, you should've taken it F10!)

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science

#24

Just a question for CS graduates here, how many Math courses were required to major in CS? When I was an undergraduate the bare minimum was: - 2 algebra (number theory + linear algebra) - 2 calculus (single variable) - 2 statistics - 1 logic - 1 combinatorics (graph theory + enumeration) There was no "Math for CS" course per say, there was just math you should know. And that was the bare minimum for a BCS, the BMath…

I'm a CS major at MIT.

Single Variable Calc (required for everyone at MIT) Multi Variable Calc (required for everyone at MIT) Math for CS (this class) Diff eq OR linear algebra

You might count the algorithm analysis class as math since it's in both the math and eecs department. Lots of people take both diff eq and linear algebra, and everyone I know also took one statistics class.

http://web.mit.edu/catalog/degre.engin.ch6.html#

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science

#25
post #23

I took this class (6.042) as a sophomore a few semesters ago. I wasn't terribly good at it. Additionally, the professor and staff were a real pain in the ass, so I didn't really have the best experience. I remember they were writing this text my year. They made us do reading assignments critiquing each section. They were basically having us proofread it for them.

I think this is somewhat standard practice in classes where the prof is writing a book. I think I've done it a couple of times, at least. (By the way, you should've taken it F10!)

>"By the way, you should've taken it F10!"

My god, yes. I wish I would have had the foresight to have done it earlier rather than in the Spring. I am definitely not a fan of TEAL.

Re: Mathematics for Computer Science

#26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps a stupid question, but does the class at MIT cover this entire textbook in a semester?

Not stupid at all. Yes, as I remember it, this was pretty much all covered in a single, 14-week semester.

Damn, that's a pretty rigorous schedule. I guess that's why MIT is MIT, haha.
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