Questions tagged [education]
General questions regarding learning computer science disciplines and CS education
142
questions
0
votes
0
answers
23
views
What to learn for Java after AP CSA
I finished my AP CSA class this year where we learned the structural basics of Java. Mainly the different variables, using methods, different loops, arrays, and array lists etc. What should I learn ...
- 101
5
votes
3
answers
2k
views
"Entrance exam" homework assignment for 3rd-year algorithms?
I teach 3rd-year algorithms for CS majors at a Canadian university and it always seems a fair number of students arrive not really understanding basic things like breadth-first search. This year I'm ...
- 53
1
vote
1
answer
62
views
Should upcoming computer scientists be worried about the rising competition in the field?
I am a high school student who is very interested in computer science and has been studying it since middle school. I've heard a lot of news about the rise in computer science majors in college and ...
- 123
6
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What does it mean to prove the halting problem is undecidable "using arithmetization"?
In version gamma of the ACM/IEEE/AAAI Computer Science Curricula 2023, on page 50, one of the illustrative learning outcomes for the "Computational Models and Formal Languages" section of ...
- 61
0
votes
0
answers
43
views
What are some visual representations of the lambda calculus?
I'm building some teaching tools for teaching the lambda calculus and would like some kind of visual representation of it. I've looked at Alligator Eggs and while it is something very similar to what ...
4
votes
1
answer
141
views
Easy proof of IP ⊆ PSPACE for private coins
There is an extremely standard proof that IP⊆PSPACE, used for instance here, here, or here, by the argument that the full protocol is max-avg game tree that can be evaluated in polynomial space. It's ...
- 945
6
votes
1
answer
243
views
How do I improve my problem-solving and creative thinking skills in Computer Science?
I am a CS undergrad trying to improve my problem-solving skills. I have noticed that I have a problem with theoretical computer science which I've been trying to fix largely unsuccessfully till now. I ...
- 83
0
votes
0
answers
51
views
What should I look to do in high school to prepare myself for college/jobs
I am a high schooler who has been programming for about 3 years now. My skill level is above what AP Comp Sci and especially what principles can teach me. What should I be doing to improve myself and ...
- 123
25
votes
13
answers
6k
views
False proofs that look correct
I remember seeing a list of False Proofs when I was taking Discrete Maths and I found it to be very interesting and also helpful.
So, if anyone knows some common proof mistakes students make or some ...
0
votes
0
answers
18
views
Looking for good introductory experiments / research projects
This is a bit of a different question than those usually posted here; I hope it is on-topic enough, as it is specifically concerning computer science. It's been bothering me for a while, and my ...
0
votes
0
answers
51
views
Computer Science Education
Hello everyone i'm from Turkey and i'm 18 years old. I'll get university exam after a month. I want Computer Science department. But there is only one department for it and this department's score is ...
- 1
1
vote
2
answers
67
views
Explanation of Cook-Levin Suitable for First Years
TLDR; Looking for Explanation of Cook-Levin theorem palatable to CS first years who are theory averse
I'm a prof. teaching first year algorithms+programming and want to give my students a taste of ...
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
48
views
What is the difference between a Task-Specfic Programming (TSP) language and a Domain-Specific Language (DSL)?
As a software engineer, I am familiar with "domain-specific languages" (DSLs), such as PCRE and SQL, which aim to eschew complexity by only providing functionality specific to a given domain ...
- 113
2
votes
2
answers
608
views
What is a good path for self-study of CS foundations/fundamentals?
I’m a self-taught software engineer who’s been working in industry for 12 years. I don’t have any formal education in CS and math was never my strong suit (although I’m willing to do the work to make ...
- 121
3
votes
2
answers
261
views
MOOC recommendations for learning algorithms based on topics covered in Daspupta, Papadimitriou & Vazirani
I would appreciate some advise/mentoring on self-study of algorithms. Based on my several years of work as a software developer (non CS background), I have some good grip on standard data structures (...
- 185
1
vote
1
answer
229
views
How does a computer direct the processing of information
So I'm reading Introduction to computing systems:From bits and gates to C and beyond, and the author states that a CPU is the mechanism that
...directs the processing of information. Which is ...
- 13
0
votes
2
answers
232
views
Best operating system for a computing degree? [closed]
Not sure which OS is best to invest in for my computer science degree. Have had varying opinions - from your experience in education or working in the sector, what is the operating system that will ...
- 17
1
vote
1
answer
236
views
Can you suggest a topic for a Bachelor Thesis in Mathematics that is related to Machine Learning? [closed]
Context
I am a final year Bachelor of Mathematics student and next semester I will write my Bachelor thesis.
My interests are in Machine Learning (ML) and I will do a master in ML next year. More ...
- 113
-1
votes
1
answer
44
views
Can a computer science graduate find an unknown spyware,malware?
If a computer science graduate is presented with a device that has a spyware which anti spywares cannot yet detect, can he find it?
Or presented with website that is possibly malicious, can he prove ...
3
votes
1
answer
406
views
Self study materials for computational complexity theory
I will be taking a computational complexity theory course in about a year, and as the reference material will be Computational Complexity A Modern Approach I am more than confident that without a ...
- 131
3
votes
0
answers
41
views
Suggestions for a source of algorithm design problems?
I’m finishing up Roughgarden’s two-part algorithms course on edx, and it was good, but I didn’t actually ‘design and analyze’ many algorithms, the questions mostly tested whether you understood the ...
- 153
7
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Where should I start to understand how computers work? [duplicate]
I am interested in how computers work but I have no idea how the concept of 0's and 1's converts to making possible for people to control a computer by programming. I would like to understand from ...
- 181
1
vote
2
answers
186
views
resource on translating imperative programs to functional programs
I'm not asking this question for the purpose of any particular project. Rather, I'm trying to understand how to translate non-trivial programs in imperative style to functional style. By functional ...
- 4,062
0
votes
0
answers
76
views
Why do I always have something missing in my understanding of topics which always lead me to solve problems incorrectly?
I am a computer science masters student, I come from a background of engineering and not CS. My problem is whenever I have a problem set, a programming task or an exam, I always try hard to understand ...
- 11
4
votes
1
answer
275
views
How can I improve my algorithmic ingenuity?
During undergrad I felt my education was mostly comprised of applying existing theory to real world problems (ie. algorithm design/analysis). I've seen derivations of many algorithms and proofs of ...
- 55
1
vote
0
answers
75
views
Are there any resources or forums online for helping me understand TAOCP?
Context
I am doing an undergrad math project that involves exploring Donald Knuth's "TAOCP, Volume 4, fascicle 6: Satisfiability".
I am having trouble parsing some of this material.
Surely ...
- 111
1
vote
0
answers
60
views
Should a math major who wants to get into a PhD program in AI take CS classes that are unrelated to AI research?
I am a 2nd year math major who wants to do a PhD in AI. I already have a little background in programming and CS. I have some experience in game design, app development and computer security. I wouldn'...
- 111
0
votes
1
answer
317
views
What programming languages always learned in computer science B.Sc.?
Even if programming by itself is not an integral part of computer science,
I would bet any B.Sc. student learns fundamentals of binary code, fundamentals of assembly code and at least one high ...
user109446
1
vote
0
answers
30
views
Does "aimed application" mean something specific? [closed]
I was reading about an uninstall tool that was especially useful for removing "aimed applications." When I tried to find out what that meant (beyond the obvious, "targeted at a specific group") I ...
- 111
0
votes
1
answer
47
views
What can we conclude about a machine $m$ from that fact that it solves a particular problem $P$?
Note: I have not studied theoretical computer science, so this may be a trivial question.
I am interested in the general question: what restrictions are put on a machine $m$ (boolean circuit, TM, ...)...
- 277
1
vote
0
answers
51
views
Is there a university that accepts students for CS Masters Degree without needing Bachelor's degree? [closed]
I am looking for a university/college that offers courses in English language and accepts students for Masters Degree in Computer Science and/or Mathematics without asking for a Bachelor's Degree. I ...
1
vote
1
answer
308
views
Famous hacker koan: who was it about, though?
Read this many years ago and can't remember who it was about. Nor can I remember the exact quote. The story goes:
Famous computer scientist/professor is teaching a class. Student is having some ...
1
vote
2
answers
153
views
A physical algorithm that finds all integer partitions of a number
If this is not the right forum for this question let me know.
I am looking for a physical algorithm that can be easily followed by anyone not knowing much ...
- 119
2
votes
0
answers
128
views
Examples of bad statistics in Computer Science
I am preparing class materials for the applied statistics class for Ph.D. students and want to present them with examples of bad statistics in different fields of computer science. I am especially ...
- 21
2
votes
0
answers
80
views
What areas of CS would you recommend exploring to someone who is not a newb at CS? [closed]
I currently maintain a score of around 400 problems solved at Project Euler. It may be great or not so great, depending on whom you ask, but I believe it's safe to say I'm not a newb at CS and coding -...
- 121
1
vote
0
answers
52
views
looking for general advice on the field of computer science [closed]
I don't have any knowledge at all in the field, i don't know if i am in the correct community. Is there any book you would suggest for a starter to gain an idea about computer science? I have a good ...
- 119
0
votes
1
answer
229
views
Math courses for machine learning [closed]
I have a few math courses to pick from in my studies, and I would love some insights on which math courses from the following list are the most relevant for machine learning. I will note - to avoid ...
- 563
4
votes
5
answers
243
views
How can I explain lossless compression to a misguided audio engineer?
I have recently been involved in a discussion with someone who doesn't accept that lossless compression is possible, even in principle. This person considers himself to be technically literate, and an ...
- 143
5
votes
2
answers
279
views
How to teach abstraction needed for programming?
I experience that my students are fixed to compute with concrete values and are not keen to think in terms of general solution like creating a mathematical function $f(n)$ , needed to write ...
- 389
3
votes
2
answers
640
views
Puzzle/game of NP class for a high school student
Is there any puzzle or game which cannot be decided in polynomial time and whose problem description can be easily understood by a kid? If it is a fun puzzle so much the better.
I want to demonstrate ...
- 131
1
vote
0
answers
21
views
Which area of study should i look for? [closed]
First post here and i hope this is the correct forum to ask this. I'm currently on my 5th semester of Computer Engineering.
I´m having some hard time deciding on what to specialize or what to do when ...
- 11
3
votes
0
answers
249
views
Is the Art of Computer Programming actually used as a college text? [closed]
The Art of Computer Programming by Donald Knuth is kind of styled like a collegiate text with exercises at the end of each chapter. However, the material is not in any recognizable form for a standard ...
- 698
1
vote
1
answer
81
views
Pre-requisite knowledge before diving into algorithms
I'm having some difficulty trying to follow what the authors of some of the more highly recommended books on algorithms. I ran into the same problem when trying out some online courses. My goal is to ...
0
votes
1
answer
360
views
How can I combine my interests for pure mathematics and computer science in college?
I’m a high school senior who's gone through quite the self-introspection the past few months while applying for college, and I have a bit of a dilemma. All my life, I've loved & excelled at ...
- 101
2
votes
2
answers
115
views
Improve Java Experience [closed]
In exactly a month I will face a Java exam. My problem is that even if I know all Java theory (the exam won't face GUI), I have problems creating programs: sometimes I can't understand how to make a ...
user63077
8
votes
7
answers
647
views
As a Teacher: Choosing a suitable programming language
I'm not sure if it's the right place for this question. Sorry if going a bit off-topic.
Choosing a suitable Language for the first programming course is one of the most important things that every ...
- 180
1
vote
0
answers
46
views
What resources are there for students to compute on a data stream?
I teach a randomized algorithms course, and many of the cool applications are to streaming computation. I can have students implement these algorithms in Python or C++, but I feel it would be much ...
- 111
3
votes
2
answers
246
views
Is the Theory of Computation Necessary for a General-Purpose Beginner?
I'm interested in developing a solid CS/Electrical Engineering foundation that would enable me to branch out in the future to any CS-related field. I've read other literature recommendations and have ...
- 31
8
votes
3
answers
8k
views
How to memorize Master Theorem?
I know the maths behind, I know if I do the algebra I can get the result of the 3 cases. I also have an intuition of the 3 cases: Quora
However, I just cannot memorize this "simple" 3 cases whenever ...
- 1,210
1
vote
0
answers
46
views
Studying for the graduate entrance exam at CSULA [closed]
I'm an undergraduate student, but not a computer science major. I'm thinking of switching to CS after I graduate. I found a program that seems to allow students to take a test and gain entry into ...
- 11