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To me, this sounds more like what a good CS Ph.D who spent his free time filling in every general CS knowledge gap he could come up with would know. I don’t kn
by bigred100 7y ago
To me, this sounds more like what a good CS Ph.D who spent his free time filling in every general CS knowledge gap he could come up with would know.
I don’t know why he says learn real analysis and linear algebra to talk to engineers when I doubt 90% of engineers took one analysis course unless they’re Ph.Ds.
- jstewartmobile 7y agoJudging by the Wikipedia article, "Real analysis" is freshman-level math for most branches of engineering. Pretty shocking how little math most CS programs require in comparison.
- bigred100 7y agoIn the US universities I’ve attended, it’s a senior level mathematics major course. Second semester freshman calculus will teach you similar material in a much more glossed over fashion and apply it to very simple examples.
- cvoss 7y agoYeah, I would be surprised to see an actual Real Analysis course in an undergrad engineering curriculum. All of the Calculus courses, ODEs, and LA for sure. And these will lightly touch on all the topics listed on the real analysis Wikipedia page. But a course actually bearing the name "Real Analysis" is typically a 300 or 400 level course, rigorously proof-based, and not needed by an undergrad engineer.
- jstewartmobile 7y agoMatt brought up RA in the context of "speak the same language". In that context, freshman calc ticks the box. His standards are high, but fair.
- bigred100 7y agoThere’s no reason to call it RA as no one including almost all the engineers took that class. They’ll just call it all calculus
- seventhtiger 7y agoI've seen that CS and EE are the most math intensive majors outside the math department. Many students go all in and get the minor or double major. But they do learn a certain kind of math. Personally I think a strong foundation in statistics is warranted. The calculus goes far beyond what is useful on the job.
- jstewartmobile 7y agoAgree on the statistics, disagree on calculus. I use that all the time... even for business apps!
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- _Nat_ 7y agoThe article says: > Computer scientists and traditional engineers need to speak the same language--a language rooted in real analysis, linear algebra, probability and physics. This is saying that the ontological common-ground between Computer Science and Engineering is rooted in, among other things, Real Analysis -- not that either Computer Science or Engineering majors need to take a course called "Real Analysis". It does recommend specific math classes, but a class on Real Analysis isn't in those recommendations. I think that the US's major Engineering-accreditation agency, ABET, requires most Engineering disciplines to have both Linear Algebra and Multivariate Calculus (also called "Calculus III") as core courses. Many students opt to take additional math beyond the basic core classes.