One Confusing Phone Call

[Rutabaga]

Rarely has a title so aptly fit a story's events.

I'm surprised that Discrete Mathematics would require Calculus. If anything I would have expected that Probability and Statistics would require it.

R

[Lugnutz]

Armando is up to something.

[colinian]

Rarely has a title so aptly fit a story's events.

I'm surprised that Discrete Mathematics would require Calculus. If anything I would have expected that Probability and Statistics would require it.

R

The Discrete Mathematics class at Diablo Valley College has the following description and the two Analytic Geometry and Calculus prerequisites; the same class at UC Berkeley, MATH-55, requires MATH-10A and 10B (Calculus):

MATH-195 Discrete Mathematics 4 units

•72 hours lecture per term

•Prerequisite(s): MATH 193 or equivalent

•Recommended: Eligibility for ENGL 122 or equivalent

•Note: Math 193 or equivalent may be taken either as a prerequisite or concurrently.

This course provides an introduction to propositional logic, induction, set theory, relations, and functions, counting and combinatorics, introduction to trees, graph theory, algorithms, algebraic structures. The emphasis is on topics of interest to computer science students. CSU, UC

Prerequisites:

MATH-192 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I 5 unit(s)

MATH-193 Analytic Geometry and Calculus II 5 unit(s)

Now, for Elementary Statistics and Probability:

MATH-142 Elementary Statistics with Probability 4 unit(s)

•72 hours lecture per term

•Prerequisite(s): Placement through the assessment process or MATH-119 or MATH-120 or 120SP or equivalent

This course is designed to introduce the student to the study of statistics and probability. Topics include descriptive statistics (organization of data, histograms, and measures of central tendency and spread), linear correlation and regression, design of experiments, introductory probability, random variables, the normal distribution and student's t-distribution, and statistical inference, including confidence intervals and tests of significance. Use of a graphing calculator or computer for statistical analysis is required. C-ID MATH 110, CSU, UC (credit limits may apply to UC-see counselor)

Prerequisite:

MATH-120 Intermediate Algebra 5 unit(s). MATH-120SP is the same class but is Self-Paced (whatever that means). MATH-119 is no longer in the catalog.

I took AP Calculus AB/BC (differential and integral) in my senior year of high school for both high school and college credit. The summer between high school and UC Berkeley I took MATH-194 Linear Algebra (3 units) and MATH-294 Differential Equations (5 units) at Diablo Valley College. Then at UC Berkeley I took MATH-55 Discrete Mathematics (4 units), MATH-128A Numerical Analysis (4 units), and STAT-133 Concepts in Computing with Data (3 units).

I know it's TMI, but you asked!

Colin

[ChrisR]

MATH-195 Discrete Mathematics 4 units

•72 hours lecture per term

...

This course provides an... introduction to trees... The emphasis is on topics of interest to computer science students.

I think this whole interdisciplinary studies program is WAY out of hand. It's supposed to be a MATH course, so counting trees I could understand. But intro to trees?

3x+pine = 4y(oak)²

Solve for Giant Redwood?

Humbug 101!

This is California after all. For math students an introduction to grass makes a lot more sense.

[Rutabaga]

Still doesn't make sense to me. Calculus is the epitome of a discipline involving continuous sets and functions. Discrete mathematics is the exact opposite.

See http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/191/S09/whatisdiscmath.html.

So I would assert that knowing calculus is not necessary to address discrete math branches per se. The only thing I can figure is that the school wants students who have had a certain level and sophistication of math study in general, and they use Calculus as a proxy for that.

R

[Merkin]

The only thing I can figure is that the school wants students who have had a certain level and sophistication of math study in general, and they use Calculus as a proxy for that.

R

Before this discussion gets way beyond my comfort zone (if it hasn't already) let me add that Rutabaga's reasoning here is likely to be right on the mark. As a one-time member of an Instruction Committee for a reputable institution we often set prerequisites for that very reason, to assure students possess a level of competence and understanding deemed necessary to succeed in courses that represented significant next steps.

[dude]

Armando is up to something.

I agree, Armando is up to something!

[Rutabaga]

I agree, Armando is up to something!

Dare we speculate about whether we've heard the last of the ATF?

R

[colinian]

I think this whole interdisciplinary studies program is WAY out of hand. It's supposed to be a MATH course, so counting trees I could understand. But intro to trees?

3x+pine = 4y(oak)²

Solve for Giant Redwood?

Humbug 101!

This is California after all. For math students an introduction to grass makes a lot more sense.

At The University of California at Berkeley we sit on the grass under the trees; the university chopped down trees to build the new football stadium (which has the dubious honor of having an earthquake fault running underneath it which when they rebuilt it they had to take that into consideration; some smoke the grass; a few others eat the grass (speaking of various animals now).

Of course, a tree is something CompSci majors have to learn about because trees are the underpinning of data structures which in turn are the underpinning of databases which in turn are the underpinning of all commerce and Google and Wikipedia and online dictionaries and streaming video and music and... just about everything digital!

Colin

[colinian]

Dare we speculate about whether we've heard the last of the ATF?

R

No.

Colin

[Cole Parker]

No.

Colin

Aha! So the one who opined we should have more comments on in-process stories suggests we refrain from doing so on his own!

OK, I'm teasing. I happen to agree with you. I too would like to see more commentary about already posted chapters. What I don't like, and you seem to agree, is speculation about what's to come. There is a vast difference between the two, and the latter sucks. If the speculation is on target, then it's a spoiler, and the hard work of creating, writing and posting the story is minimized. If it's off target, it's still distracting to readers and may even disappoint them in where the story actually goes because they liked the speculative version better.

So your 'no' is right on, to me.

C

[Rutabaga]

OK well then I'll just say I don't trust Armando either. But Jeremy seems to have a good head on his shoulders. I had to laugh out loud at some of the outrageous stuff in this chapter.

R

P.S. -- Give me discrete mathematics over calculus any day.

[colinian]

OK well then I'll just say I don't trust Armando either. But Jeremy seems to have a good head on his shoulders. I had to laugh out loud at some of the outrageous stuff in this chapter.

R

P.S. -- Give me discrete mathematics over calculus any day.

Thanks for your comments, R.

Let's see, how many times this year have I actually used calculus? I can count them easily: zero.

Colin