How much maths is involved with AQA A-Level Comp Sci?

2190243

Hi,

I'm thinking about doing Computer Science A-Level but i'm not sure how much maths is involved with it. I don't plan on doing maths at A-Level so I don't know if this puts me at a disadvantage or not.

I'm going into year 11 and I am doing okay in GCSE Computer Science (A* on first piece of coursework, on track for A* on second piece).

My school does Python for programming and I find it quite easy.

Thanks in advance

Reply 1

Vyres

Original post by iHammmy

Any university would prefer that you do maths at A-level if you want a degree in Computer Science. However, since computing is considered to show evidence of logical and analytical thinking, I don't think you'd have have an issue pursuing
it at degree level. There will be a little bit of maths involved in A-level computing, but it's nothing like A-level maths. Apart from Boolean Algebra, and some other things I don't see you having an issue with maths in A-level computing. Do you also know if your school is definitely doing Python for A-level?

Reply 2

2190243

Original post by Vyres

I'm pretty sure that it's Python as they have taught Python since we started school and I don't see any reason for them to stop doing it. Do you know if maths is required for a software engineering degree or cyber security degree?

Reply 3

Vyres

Original post by iHammmy

Well my school teaches Python for GCSE, but then they teach AQA A-Level Computing with Java instead of Python. You wouldn't need an A-level in maths to do a Software Engineering degree (you would however need a C or B in GCSE maths), but you definitely should study A-level Computing if you want to do the degree in Software Enginerring..

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 4

2190243

Original post by Vyres

Thanks

Reply 5

s4b3rt00th

Original post by Vyres

Well my school teaches Python for GCSE, but then they teach AQA A-Level Computing with Java instead of Python.

My school teaches both Java and C# at A-Level but they're both similar anyway.

I doubt there's much maths involved, which is a shame really because I love maths (especially in programming). :frown:

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 6

Vyres

Original post by s4b3rt00th

My school teaches both Java and C# at A-Level but they're both similar anyway.

I doubt there's much maths involved, which is a shame really because I love maths (especially in programming). :frown:

There is basic maths involved (Two's complement, Boolean algebra, ect). Think of it as B-A Grade GCSE mathematical skills are somewhat required for the course. Interesting that your school teaches both Java and C# at A-Level, I thought that you could only do the course focusing around one main programming language, but I guess not. As far as I know, my school is only teaching Java as a main programming language for the course.

Reply 7

TercioOfParma

Having done it, almost none at all. I thought it was a little bit too unmathematic.

Reply 8

Vyres

Original post by TercioOfParma

Having done it, almost none at all. I thought it was a little bit too unmathematic.

Really? How about the whole Mantissa and Exponent topic?

Reply 9

TercioOfParma

Original post by Vyres

Really? How about the whole Mantissa and Exponent topic?

Yeah, It's basically GCSE level maths.

Reply 10

Vyres

Original post by TercioOfParma

Yeah, It's basically GCSE level maths.

Yeah, it certainly looks like it.

Reply 11

username2130115

hardly any maths
do a-level maths if u wanna do cs at uni

Reply 12

s4b3rt00th

Original post by Vyres

Basic mathematics - yes. However, there isn't any complex mathematics involved that requires some serious thought to it, as far as I know.

For the GCSE programming related tasks (including the coursework and exams), you can do the entirety of it in a language to your liking other than Python so I don't see why you can not do it in a language other than C# or Java at A-Level. I did ask my Computing teacher about this and he did say yes at GCSE. I did not explicitly ask him about it for A-Level.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 13

Vyres

Original post by s4b3rt00th

For the GCSE programming related tasks (including the coursework and exams, unless they explicitly ask, which they do not do), you can do the entirety of it in a language to your liking other than Python so I don't see why you can not do it in a language other than C# or Java at A-Level. I did ask my Computing teacher about this and he did say yes.

The GCSE part isn't true. You can only do the coursework in any language if you're doing the Edexcel exam board. OCR will not allow this, however OCR does allow you to complete any algorithm question in an exam paper in any language you want (aka you wouldn't have to use a flowchart or pseudocode). I mean you're not exactly going to do a exam in a langauge you haven't learnt. If your school teaches Java, you should do the exam in Java. I'll ask my teacher on results day a couple things about the A-level involving the criteria and specification on the programming.
.

Reply 14

s4b3rt00th

Original post by Vyres

My teacher lied to me. Wow. I'm never going to trust my teachers ever again now.

Reply 15

Vyres

Original post by s4b3rt00th

My teacher lied to me. Wow. I'm never going to trust my teachers ever again now.

Well it depends... What exactly did your teacher tell you? Did you do OCR for GCSE Computing? What language did you do for A-level Computing?

Reply 16

sagederby

Original post by TercioOfParma

Having done it, almost none at all. I thought it was a little bit too unmathematic.

But did you do the old syllabus?
The new aqa one has more maths on it than the old syllabus. *E.g. Maths for regular expressions, Maths for big 'O' and vectors as well as Boolean algebra.*

Reply 17

TercioOfParma

Original post by sagederby

But did you do the old syllabus?
The new aqa one has more maths on it than the old syllabus. *E.g. Maths for regular expressions, Maths for big 'O' and vectors as well as Boolean algebra.*