2 ms·
Well, here you have one! Computer science notation is vastly superior to the common mathematical one. It's a different league of clarity. But my papers need to
by 317070 7y ago
Well, here you have one! Computer science notation is vastly superior to the common mathematical one. It's a different league of clarity.
But my papers need to follow the consensus, as I'm already trying to get a hard idea across to my reader who decides to spend 15 minutes to try and understand me, maybe.
So yes, then I need to introduce 15 symbols, half of them greek, and a number of operations between them using whatever line/subscript/superscript/brace is fashionable.
The biggest difference is in slides. In slides I try and can usually avoid the math notation. Because I am there talking it through, which makes notation less important and gives me an opportunity to switch to long variable names and everything a function, more akin to the software notation.
- Grustaf 7y agoThe only people I’ve ever heard having problems with math notation (as opposed to math concepts, which are often extremely abstract) are computer scientist and computer people in general. I think what irritates them is the fluidity and flexibility of most math notation. It’s not really machine readable since it really assumes you know what you’re doing. The same string of symbols can mean vastly different things in different contexts, which is precisely the power of math notation. Brevity is actually a goal in itself, it makes it possible to keep even larger constructions in your mind at the same time. Consider einteinian notation, with implicit summation. Very terse, and very powerful when you know what you’re doing. I’m sure CS notation is great for CS but trust me, math notation is pretty damn near optimal for math. Second only to theoretical physicists, mathematicians are probably the smartest of scientists.