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>> understand the basics of calculus I think the issue is that many programs expect students to understand 'the basics' of calculus as an academic mathematicia
by itronitron 2y ago
>> understand the basics of calculus
I think the issue is that many programs expect students to understand 'the basics' of calculus as an academic mathematician understands them, which I would consider to be more suitable as an upper level elective for a CS program.
A fun exercise would be to have graduating CS students take the same calculus exams that were required for admission to the program. I would expect that 10% would score much higher and the other 90% would score much lower.
- bee_rider 2y agoI worked with students in a “intro calculus for humanities” type class for many years (as a sort of undergrad tutoring role, so, it was a while ago, I’m old now). Despite this experience it is pretty shocking to me that there are, like, actually adult people walking around who can’t at least do a derivative. Spending too long in STEM academics absolutely warps your view of the mathematical skill floor I think.
- HeyLaughingBoy 2y agoAt one point, I was able to do 3-dimensional vector calculus on electromagnetic fields. Now, I'm not sure I could do even a basic derivative. Use it or lose it.
- bee_rider 2y agoI mean, even when I was tutoring it I’d double check most of the equations just to be sure. I’m sure chain rule, product rule, and polynomials would come right back to you, and everyone has to look up the trig functions anyway.