what math is used in computer science?

GLOBALTRAVELER
Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:43:46 +0000

CollegeBound,

Well I was in my emphasis area about the time I became a junior so those courses were in an area that I liked. I was someone who wasn’t too interested in “pure” mathematics but also was not into the theoretical or hardware areas of computer science, so computational mathematics was my thing. I was always the type who wanted the “actual” data, so I wanted to know what the hell “x” was numerically.

When you are in courses like mathematical programming (which was really an optimization course at Michigan State), you are learning the “optimal” mix of objects to obtain the best profit. When you are taking graph theory, you get some insight on how computer networks are designed or modeled. You are now “applying” math concepts to everyday applications which make the course more interesting.

If anything I “wished” had happened during my time in the Math program, I wished math majors were allowed to take Applied Calculus I, II, III…especially if the math major was intending to be more “applied” (like myself). Usually, most universities will not allow math majors to take Applied Calculus I, II, III for credit…just the engineers.