3 ms·
> Their editor wrote me that 'higher degree polynomials', 'infinitesimal vectors' and 'complex space' (even complex numbers) were things at least half their rea
by avz 11y ago
> Their editor wrote me that 'higher degree polynomials', 'infinitesimal vectors' and 'complex space' (even complex numbers) were things at least half their readership had never come across.
It appears to me that in software engineering the situation is a lot better. Anecdotes from my own recent experiences:
- polynomials (encountered when reading about CRC codes and elliptic curve cryptography),
- infinitesimals and vectors (encountered when recalling Newton's third law when working on a small Android game using libGDX and box2d),
- complex numbers (encountered when learning Go and reading about AC circuits).
I haven't encountered complex space, but my guess is that it's similar to the familiar real vector space but permits complex numbers as vector components and coefficients in linear combinations.
- TeMPOraL 11y agoCool thing about software, at least when talking about coding up stuff for fun and not programming career, is that it tends to expose you to a great amount of different fields of knowledge.
- duaneb 11y agoBingo. I think the biggest problem CS students have is being under the impression they're studying a career directly instead of learning the tools they need to tackle unknown problems directly.
- heinrichf 11y agoBy the way, you would probably also quickly encouter the schemes mentioned in the article if you study elliptic curve cryptography :)