4 ms·
I think it would be better to just get away from ultra terseness. It's crazy to me how terse mathematics is compared to CS. def velocity(time_ms): return .
by umvi 5y ago
I think it would be better to just get away from ultra terseness. It's crazy to me how terse mathematics is compared to CS.
def velocity(time_ms):
return ...
vs.
v(t) = ...
Like nearly every operation and variable is one character or symbol long (with the puzzling exception of trig where you get a whopping 3 characters - sin/cos/tan/etc.)
- whatshisface 5y agoI really don't want to write a complete word hundreds of times when I am solving an equation on paper.
- Jtsummers 5y agoAt least that idea is better than the other way some people want to "improve" math notation: drop it and write everything in "plain English". Like anyone who does even basic algebra would really benefit from that. "The position of a particle at some point in time is its original position added to the product of its initial velocity and the time added to half the acceleration times the square of the time. Now, if I tell you the initial position, initial velocity, current position, and acceleration, how much time has passed? Remember, you can't use algebra anymore because we banned it in favor of 'plain English', also good luck communicating your ideas to people who don't understand English."
- whatshisface 5y agoThat's actually quite close to how Newton's Principa was written. If you want a real challenge, go try and read it... and if you really want a challenge, try to read it without already understanding mechanics!
- umvi 5y agoUse short hand with pencil and paper. But make it less terse inside textbooks, inside computers, etc