Prep Study for Bachelors in Comp Sci. ?

[xdega]

So basically, I start 4 year college this fall to begin my Bachelors in Computer Science. Albeit a little late at the age of 25

 

Here is a little academic background.

 

My current level of math is just about at the college algebra level, although I am fairly confident in that area. I have messed with an intermediate amount of procedural PHP (that was how I started PHP) and started looking a little at Object Oriented PHP as far as coding goes. I have also, extensive experience with HTML/CSS.

 

I am looking to pre study before my classes, and looking for a finger in the right direction. As far as I understand, Computer Science is very math intensive and covers a lot of programming theory.

What topics will help me the most? are there any guides/books written specifically for preparing computer science students that are about to attend college?

 

Thank you much.

 

[keelanz]

So basically, I start 4 year college this fall to begin my Bachelors in Computer Science. Albeit a little late at the age of 25

 

Here is a little academic background.

 

My current level of math is just about at the college algebra level, although I am fairly confident in that area. I have messed with an intermediate amount of procedural PHP (that was how I started PHP) and started looking a little at Object Oriented PHP as far as coding goes. I have also, extensive experience with HTML/CSS.

 

I am looking to pre study before my classes, and looking for a finger in the right direction. As far as I understand, Computer Science is very math intensive and covers a lot of programming theory.

What topics will help me the most? are there any guides/books written specifically for preparing computer science students that are about to attend college?

 

Thank you much.

 

 

im currently second year comp science so i have a little experience.

it will depend on what language your university teaches (i presume java/assembly/mysql/PHP(JS, VBS)) you will have to prep on a few specific languages

logic manipulation deals with alot of the algebra, algorithms is another key aspect (sequences) & numbering systems another. its hard to tell you exactly where to start without understanding your current understanding of PC's etc

i would presume with a fairly good understanding of PHP and scripts the programing wont be hard, the logic itself is pretty much self explanatory but id say a good understanding of algebra may be needed.

depending on which route your comp science takes you alot of physics and geometry may need to be learned (mostly simulation & games)

 

although comp science is broad to do, really you have to specify anyway(to do well) so theres no shortcut, just have to learn the math etc

 

learn

JAVA

LINUX

IEEE's

Computational theory (logic manipulation)

PHP/HTML/JS/VB/MYSQL/CSS etc (websites you seem to know already)

Databases & manipulation

 

if you go to university with a good understanding of the above, you'll shit a degree

 

P.S get a good understanding of numbering systems, specifically binary such as 2's compliment, hex is also needed.

Edited April 16, 2011 by keelanz

[xdega]

thanks for that. I definitely have a deficiency in JS. It's probably my weakest web based language, but so important to the others. I know I need to learn JS, especially since I plan to specialize in web development.

 

 

What do you mean by "learning IEEE's?"

 

Are there any good books on "Computational Theory" that you would recommend??

[Xittenn]

What do you mean by "learning IEEE's?"

 

I think he means learn the IEEE standards for things like floating point values. You may want to keep an eye on ternary and qubit systems as well, this fore knowledge may help you in the long term should there be a sudden shift in the approach to marketable technology and programming methodologies.

[Monster92]

I wouldn't learn anything too specific because different universities present computer science in different ways. My advice would be to read some or all of the following books.

 

Computer Science Degree Preparation Resources

Schaum's Outline of Principles of Computer Science

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schaums-Outline-Principles-Computer-Science/dp/0071460519/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303131443&sr=1-1

 

How to design programs (free e-book)

http://www.htdp.org/

 

http://computerscienceppt.blogspot.com/

Another site that may help you on your course

 

Mathematics Resources

 

Khana Academy

http://www.khanacademy.org/ they provide free videos and exercises on mathematics among other subjects

 

 

Also, check out the iTunes university to download videos of lectures from university computer science dept.

[xdega]

Thank you much for them resources. I went ahead and ordered the shaum book, I also noticed that they have several other interesting books. One thing that is also weighing on my mind is this : my math level is low, I was never fortunate enough to take pre calc. I do however have an unbelievable interest in computers. Would you say that interest can make up for minor deficiencies in aptitude?. Obviously I am a hypocondriac.

[Monster92]

No no it's fine I was in the same position as you not too long ago. I just urge you to learn mathematics now and not tomorrow. Take your time because interest and motivation are going to get you where you need to be.

 

PS: Khan Academy will help you. Start with the basics and progress. Above all have confidence in your ability to learn new concepts. You could learn anything just don't expect to understand it straight away

Edited April 19, 2011 by Monster92

[keelanz]

thanks for that. I definitely have a deficiency in JS. It's probably my weakest web based language, but so important to the others. I know I need to learn JS, especially since I plan to specialize in web development.

 

 

What do you mean by "learning IEEE's?"

 

Are there any good books on "Computational Theory" that you would recommend??

 

to be honest no idea on any books, i have a few on logic manipulation but its too complex for me and ive got a strong understanding of the basics, i could probably prep you on computational theory though if you wanted, show you how to create a password or a switch using logic manipulation

 

the IEEE's are a set of standards pretty much all PC's use, so they are the universal laws that all computers abide by, mostly related to networking hackers beware

 

do you understand the binary system? if so go read up on logic gates, theres not many but it can get complex.

 

AND, OR, NOT, Xor, Nand , NOR & XNOR are the basic manipulations

 

so if we have say a simple manipulation of A OR B AND C if we take A =1, B = 1 & C = 0 we can deduct a truth table (or do it in our head as this is simple)

 

A OR B has to be true to have an output of 1, A & B have a value of 1 so the outcome is true, the logic manipulation also requires c to be true aswell as A or B and our C has a value of 0 so the outcome is false.

 

though my example has no relevance the concept should be easy enough to grasp

[xdega]

Ah, very interesting indeed. I found a great Wikipedia article on logic gates (http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Logic_gate). I see that it deals a lot with the electronic circuitry of computers.

Also learning a few new symbols etc (such as the arrows for relationships and "iff"). I definitely look forward to the Shaum's book that will be arriving tomorrow, I believe it will cover a lot of such topics.

 

Also, I find that the visual topics that include the truth tables and diagrams make the concepts MUCH easier to grasp than straight formulas. What would I expect to see more of in the course of my studies?

 

ps:

One thing that instantly gets me is that the "OR" gate uses "A+B" as notation, where as the "AND" gate uses "A.B". Why is this? isn't that a little misleading?

Edited April 20, 2011 by xdega

[keelanz]

Ah, very interesting indeed. I found a great Wikipedia article on logic gates (http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Logic_gate). I see that it deals a lot with the electronic circuitry of computers.

Also learning a few new symbols etc (such as the arrows for relationships and "iff"). I definitely look forward to the Shaum's book that will be arriving tomorrow, I believe it will cover a lot of such topics.

 

heres 2 more links to help

 

http://en.wikipedia....Morgan%27s_laws

 

http://en.wikipedia....Boolean_algebra

 

my university uses 2 sets of logical symbology which confused me alot, be prepared to switch symbols, its the concept that matters.

 

ill teach you 2's compliment in decimal too

 

okay so say we have 70 - 60 (for what ever reason) well computers cant actually subtract so what they do instead is use a trick called 2's compliment in which they invert the 1's and 0's so that is what we shall do, instead of 70 - 60 we switch the second half of the equation so that its 70 + 40 which = 110, now in binary terms we take the LSD but in decimal we simply take the MSD which leaves us with 10

 

180 - 115 = 180 + 185 = 365 - 300(MSD) = 65

 

in decimal it only works if your taking a smaller number from a bigger number

 

in binary its like this

 

01010101(85) - 00100101(37)

 

so we invert the second half to 11011010

 

then we add 01010101 + 11011010 = 110101111 now take the LDN which makes it 11010111 and invert again which = 00101000(48)

 

(i think thats right lol)

Edited April 20, 2011 by keelanz

[xdega]

So just to clarify. How do you find the MSD and LSD?. From the first example, the MSD appears to similar to a denominator but I don't want to make assumptipns.

Edited April 20, 2011 by xdega

[xdega]

Ah. Think I got it. So on the first example you REMOVE the MSD(number to the far left). Then for example two (binary) you REMOVE the LSD or LSB (number to the far right). Am I correct? now I just need to learn to convert numbers to binary and vice versa. Very interesting concept indeed, to be able to subtract via addition and inverse.

[khaled]

Why are you trying to study what you are supposed to study in the Bachelor degree,

 

Mathematics Basics is all you need ...

[xdega]

I guess I just wanna hit the ground running. If I work on the basics now, then I can devote more time on the harder and more complex concepts or even other classes I may run in to difficulty with?. That and I find it very interesting and I have a bit of free time at the moment, so I guess I kinda want to research it a little. I am sure that the degree will provide LOTS more to take in and study.

 

I guess it is no different than the fortunate high school students that get to take "pre-calculus", before heading to college. I wasn't one of them fortunate students due to a late start because I immigrated to the United States.

 

[keelanz]

I guess I just wanna hit the ground running. If I work on the basics now, then I can devote more time on the harder and more complex concepts or even other classes I may run in to difficulty with?. That and I find it very interesting and I have a bit of free time at the moment, so I guess I kinda want to research it a little. I am sure that the degree will provide LOTS more to take in and study.

 

I guess it is no different than the fortunate high school students that get to take "pre-calculus", before heading to college. I wasn't one of them fortunate students due to a late start because I immigrated to the United States.

 

 

yeh if you do well in your first year your allowing 1) good work experience prospects and 2) the ability to get higher grades in year 2/3

 

Ah. Think I got it. So on the first example you REMOVE the MSD(number to the far left). Then for example two (binary) you REMOVE the LSD or LSB (number to the far right). Am I correct? now I just need to learn to convert numbers to binary and vice versa. Very interesting concept indeed, to be able to subtract via addition and inverse.

 

yep thats spot on