3 ms·

It's helpful for truly understanding recursion.

mattmanser 10y ago
If it's so useful for "truly" understanding it, why do I have to show so many CS educated juniors how to use recursion? Have to point out to them to use it instead of doing crazy nested loops or other stupid solutions to a problem simply solved using recursion? Given that I obviously don't "truly" understand it, having never done a CS degree. I'd posit that most CS students don't truly understand recursion, they just vaguely know the theoretical basis behind a practical skill they have no experience in.
- markhkim 10y ago
  eh, I posit that you already understand induction and just don't know that you do. "So many CS educated juniors" being uncomfortable with recursion is not an argument against understanding mathematical induction. Who says they understood induction?
- babygoat 10y ago
  You can get a CS degree without understanding induction, and you can understand induction without a CS degree.
- data4science 10y ago
  I don't know which languages you and your CS educated juniors ("juniors") use. While "juniors" = employees subordinate to you & "so many "juniors"" = high turnover & you = positive senior employee & college educated graduates = smart: "posit that most CS students don't truly understand recusion" = False '''Smart, being distinct from intelligent, indicates a propensity to make decisions that maximize benefit for the person described as smart. A smart CS student would work for a company that valued intellectual capital instead of a company with high turnover.''' While "juniors" = employees subordinate to you & "so many "juniors"" = hyperbole & you = positive senior employee: "posit that most CS students don't truly understand recusion" = False '''It is dubious that more than 171.5k CS graduates worked subordinate to you from 2004-2010, or that an unbiased sample of CS graduates from 2004-2010 worked subordinate to you (see previous While "loop") [1] .''' The proof that the previous comment's posit is not provable follows by induction. Note_0: While loops can use "&" or "and" operators in some languages without nested loops (unless the programmer chooses to implement a break line) to achieve much of the effect of recursive functions. While statements, as implemented in the example above, offer nearly as much access to the input stack as recursive functions; about equal risk of an infinite loop; and don't risk stack overflow. Note_1: I have a bachelors in Math. So, I was likely taught a more substantial "theoretical basis," and less "practical skill" than the curriculum most CS graduates were taught. [1]: http://www.geekwire.com/2014/analysis-examining-computer-science-education-explosion/ http://www.geekwire.com/2014/analysis-examining-computer-sci...
  - mattmanser 10y ago
    10 I don't see what you added to the discussion 20 But I have to ask, if you have a bachelors in Maths, why do you not know about sample sizes? Or about the flaws in assuming perfect knowledge of actors in a system? (on reply, GOTO 10)

If it's so useful for "truly" understanding it, why do I have to show so many CS educated juniors how to use recursion? Have to point out to them to use it instead of doing crazy nested loops or other stupid solutions to a problem simply solved using recursion? Given that I obviously don't "truly" understand it, having never done a CS degree. I'd posit that most CS students don't truly understand recursion, they just vaguely know the theoretical basis behind a practical skill they have no experience in.

markhkim 10y ago
eh, I posit that you already understand induction and just don't know that you do. "So many CS educated juniors" being uncomfortable with recursion is not an argument against understanding mathematical induction. Who says they understood induction?
babygoat 10y ago
You can get a CS degree without understanding induction, and you can understand induction without a CS degree.
data4science 10y ago
I don't know which languages you and your CS educated juniors ("juniors") use. While "juniors" = employees subordinate to you & "so many "juniors"" = high turnover & you = positive senior employee & college educated graduates = smart: "posit that most CS students don't truly understand recusion" = False '''Smart, being distinct from intelligent, indicates a propensity to make decisions that maximize benefit for the person described as smart. A smart CS student would work for a company that valued intellectual capital instead of a company with high turnover.''' While "juniors" = employees subordinate to you & "so many "juniors"" = hyperbole & you = positive senior employee: "posit that most CS students don't truly understand recusion" = False '''It is dubious that more than 171.5k CS graduates worked subordinate to you from 2004-2010, or that an unbiased sample of CS graduates from 2004-2010 worked subordinate to you (see previous While "loop") [1] .''' The proof that the previous comment's posit is not provable follows by induction. Note_0: While loops can use "&" or "and" operators in some languages without nested loops (unless the programmer chooses to implement a break line) to achieve much of the effect of recursive functions. While statements, as implemented in the example above, offer nearly as much access to the input stack as recursive functions; about equal risk of an infinite loop; and don't risk stack overflow. Note_1: I have a bachelors in Math. So, I was likely taught a more substantial "theoretical basis," and less "practical skill" than the curriculum most CS graduates were taught. [1]: http://www.geekwire.com/2014/analysis-examining-computer-science-education-explosion/ http://www.geekwire.com/2014/analysis-examining-computer-sci...
- mattmanser 10y ago
  10 I don't see what you added to the discussion 20 But I have to ask, if you have a bachelors in Maths, why do you not know about sample sizes? Or about the flaws in assuming perfect knowledge of actors in a system? (on reply, GOTO 10)