Hey guys!

I want to take Comp Sci 1FC3 next term, which is Mathematics in Computing. In high school, I got high 80s in math, and I am also very good with computers (using software, hardware, building computers etc.)

I know that this course is heavily reliant on math skills, and computer skills.

Given this, I am not very good at memorizing, I'm better at actually LEARNING the material and understanding it.

Anyone who has taken this course, knows someone, or has simply done more research than I have, can you please advise me on whether or not I should take it? This course would be one of my electives.

Thanks in advance!

the course is more about logic and memorizing theories to prove something is equal to something else and evaluating when something is true.
I and everyone that I seem to talk to that took it says its tough.

The prof will be Dr. Wolfram Kahl who is not an easy prof. Really challenges your thinking (from what I've heard). Also it is a 'Discrete' Math course. Which is different from Math. It's a course that involves logic. Now that you say you are good at learning rather than memorizing, you should be fine there. But the assignments will involve programming in Haskell and if you are not good at programming, it's definitely not going to be easy. You might have to remember a few axioms(rules) to solve expressions and such. I'm in CAS but haven't had Dr. Kahl as my prof. Someone who's had him as their prof could probably elaborate on that.

Hi Abbas,

Welcome to the MacInsiders community and McMaster University first and foremost.

Second of all,

This course is not heavily reliant on computer skills, and it isn't heavily reliant on the Math skills you have obtained up until now. You can really go down two paths in these course and those two are:

1) Memorize everything (or at least attempt to, good luck..), and get somethings and perform adequately and ride the curve to a high mark

2) Understand everything, memorize a few key axioms you would need to manipulate and perform extremely well and get an essentially guaranteed high mark.

I went with option number one, which I will now probably regret in my third year Computer Science courses. You may not regret it since you are only interested in taking this course as an elective. Mind you, very little amounts of people take this an elective, but I know a few people who did take this as an elective. They either transferred into the Computer Science program, or decided to do a minor in it because they loved it, or they despised Computer Science afterwards.

At the end though, just like any other course..the mark and knowledge you yield from it depends on you Abbas. If you genuinely put your mind and soul into the course, you'll be fine.

If you have anymore questions, please do feel free to ask..and we'll all try our best to help.

With best regards,

Humza

Originally Posted by abbas.kassam

Hey guys!

I want to take Comp Sci 1FC3 next term, which is Mathematics in Computing. In high school, I got high 80s in math, and I am also very good with computers (using software, hardware, building computers etc.)

I know that this course is heavily reliant on math skills, and computer skills.

Given this, I am not very good at memorizing, I'm better at actually LEARNING the material and understanding it.

Anyone who has taken this course, knows someone, or has simply done more research than I have, can you please advise me on whether or not I should take it? This course would be one of my electives.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT:

During last school year we were supposed to use Haskell but we ran out of time, so I cannot comment on the functional programming aspect of this course if there is one still and/or will be.

Originally Posted by Rob Mac

the course is more about logic and memorizing theories to prove something is equal to something else and evaluating when something is true.
I and everyone that I seem to talk to that took it says its tough.

All of the reviews I have read about this were that the course is 'tough'. I like working with logic because it makes everything easier since its understandable as oppose to something you memorize, get tested, and 'throw' it away

Originally Posted by nikJ

The prof will be Dr. Wolfram Kahl who is not an easy prof. Really challenges your thinking (from what I've heard). Also it is a 'Discrete' Math course. Which is different from Math. It's a course that involves logic. Now that you say you are good at learning rather than memorizing, you should be fine there. But the assignments will involve programming in Haskell and if you are not good at programming, it's definitely not going to be easy. You might have to remember a few axioms(rules) to solve expressions and such. I'm in CAS but haven't had Dr. Kahl as my prof. Someone who's had him as their prof could probably elaborate on that.

I am in first year business, so my next term is not too hard but not easy either, I have math 1M03, and Commerce 1E03, which are the two of my five courses that I hear require more attention than others. And remembering rules to solve expressions sounds similar to calculus to me, where you memorize/learn the rules of derivatives (i.e., Power Rule) and apply it to solve the questions, is this correct?

Originally Posted by herBs

1) Memorize everything (or at least attempt to, good luck..), and get somethings and perform adequately and ride the curve to a high mark

2) Understand everything, memorize a few key axioms you would need to manipulate and perform extremely well and get an essentially guaranteed high mark.

I went with option number one, which I will now probably regret in my third year Computer Science courses. You may not regret it since you are only interested in taking this course as an elective. Mind you, very little amounts of people take this an elective, but I know a few people who did take this as an elective. They either transferred into the Computer Science program, or decided to do a minor in it because they loved it, or they despised Computer Science afterwards.

At the end though, just like any other course..the mark and knowledge you yield from it depends on you Abbas. If you genuinely put your mind and soul into the course, you'll be fine.

I want to do a minor in Computer Science too, mainly out of general interest in the field. As for programming, it isn't really that hard for me, I've programmed using Java and Basic before, and done simple HTML coding (even though that's super easy hahah)

Originally Posted by abbas.kassam

I want to do a minor in Computer Science too, mainly out of general interest in the field. As for programming, it isn't really that hard for me, I've programmed using Java and Basic before, and done simple HTML coding (even though that's super easy hahah)

Glad to hear that you are interesting in the field and want to pursue a Minor in it. There are only two courses which only focus on programming which are CS 1MD3 and CS 2S03. There are courses which assume you already have programming knowledge since you need to program various things in them. IN CS 1MD3 when I took it, and in the current school year Python is still being used..which is a very easy language to pick up. Last year in CS 2S03 C++ was used, and in my year we are currently using Java will be used in the foreseen future as well.

If you have any more comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to ask or state away.

With best regards,

Humza

Originally Posted by herBs

Hi Abbas,

Welcome to the MacInsiders community and McMaster University first and foremost.

Second of all,

This course is not heavily reliant on computer skills, and it isn't heavily reliant on the Math skills you have obtained up until now. You can really go down two paths in these course and those two are:

1) Memorize everything (or at least attempt to, good luck..), and get somethings and perform adequately and ride the curve to a high mark

2) Understand everything, memorize a few key axioms you would need to manipulate and perform extremely well and get an essentially guaranteed high mark.

I went with option number one, which I will now probably regret in my third year Computer Science courses. You may not regret it since you are only interested in taking this course as an elective. Mind you, very little amounts of people take this an elective, but I know a few people who did take this as an elective. They either transferred into the Computer Science program, or decided to do a minor in it because they loved it, or they despised Computer Science afterwards.

At the end though, just like any other course..the mark and knowledge you yield from it depends on you Abbas. If you genuinely put your mind and soul into the course, you'll be fine.

If you have anymore questions, please do feel free to ask..and we'll all try our best to help.

With best regards,

Humza



EDIT:

During last school year we were supposed to use Haskell but we ran out of time, so I cannot comment on the functional programming aspect of this course if there is one still and/or will be.

Oh you just wait, he'll make you use Haskell in 3rd year.

@OP: There's also Python but Dr. Soltys expects you to learn it on your own, it's pretty easy to get the hang of.

Originally Posted by Afzal

Oh you just wait, he'll make you use Haskell in 3rd year.

@OP: There's also Python but Dr. Soltys expects you to learn it on your own, it's pretty easy to get the hang of.

We already used Haskell extensively in CS 1MA3, so I think I'll be okay.

Originally Posted by Afzal

Oh you just wait, he'll make you use Haskell in 3rd year.

@OP: There's also Python but Dr. Soltys expects you to learn it on your own, it's pretty easy to get the hang of.

Half of third year is done for me and I haven't had to do any Haskell yet. Which course does Dr. Soltys want people to know Python for?