How do I understand thease type of equations

[alan2here]

I understand this type

 

area = width*height

e = (m*c)^2

 

As a programmer I use these type of equations all the time, although they are not always as simple as the ones stated above.

 

However this type

 

Utterly confuses me

 

Coding isn't just equations, there will be commands and stuff backing my equation's up as they means noting to a compiler on there own, I guess in wider maths an equation does stand up on it's own as being meaningful therefore it needs to be expressed in a more complex way.

 

Can someone explain or point me in the direction for stuff about understanding those sort of equations. Until then I will continue with my current "observe, understand and then code" method instead of looking up how to do things which is what I would like to be able to do more.

[Dave]

Equations like that aren't necessarily hard, it's just the notation can sometimes confuse matters an awful lot. For example, the equation above simply involves a summation and a complex exponential, both of which are extremely easy to code.

 

I'd try to find a book that covers a course teaching mathematics for computer scientists (there's a lot of those courses around). For example, the one at Warwick is pretty good and has a recommended book, although I can't comment on it having never read it.

[alan2here]

summation and a complex exponential

?

 

looks like a nice course, can I read the book online somewhere or do I need to buy it?

 

Im going to university next year to do more advanced stuff in games programming, hopefully they will teach me math like this there, I have GCSE maths at the moment, no A level math. Also I will have acsess to our uni liberry. stotfold village libery is rather lame.

[Dave]

I imagine a lot of this stuff will be covered. You probably won't be able to get a hold of a copy online, so you'll need to find a big library (or at least one that's likely to stock it).

[the tree]

I have GCSE maths at the moment, no A level math.

Ah, so you wouldn't understand the notation then.

Well in short [math]\sum_{n=1}^{N}{a}[/math] means the sum (total) of every value of a, for n being equal to 1,2,3,...,N.

 

For example: [math]\begin{matrix}

\sum_{n=1}^{5}n^2 & = & {1^2}+{2^2}+{3^2}+{4^2}+{5^2}

\\ \ & = & 55

\end{matrix}[/math]

[matt grime]

a needs to be a function of n, obviously, but you should make that explicit or the answer is just aN.