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Computer Science - What Is The Mathematics Like

This may be a question for second and third years to answer, however I am sure that all prospective Computer Science and Software Engineering students would find the answers useful.

Starting the first year at Nottingham doing Computer Science and was wondering how much mathematics, does one typically do throughout the entire course.

I am aware that one studies discrete maths, but how much calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, probability etc.. does the course entail and to what level?

Would a student without A level maths struggle to keep up? Also would a student with A level further maths feel challenged by the mathematical content on the course?

Thanks in advance
Reply 1
Original post by WannaBeEducated
This may be a question for second and third years to answer, however I am sure that all prospective Computer Science and Software Engineering students would find the answers useful.

Starting the first year at Nottingham doing Computer Science and was wondering how much mathematics, does one typically do throughout the entire course.

I am aware that one studies discrete maths, but how much calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, probability etc.. does the course entail and to what level?

Would a student without A level maths struggle to keep up? Also would a student with A level further maths feel challenged by the mathematical content on the course?

Thanks in advance


In my experience, it's less calculus as you'll have done at A Level, and more discrete mathematics - things like complexity, graph theory, types, sets, logic, automata, computability, and then depending what modules you choose, things like computational geometry, operations, probability, varying level of stats.

Having A Level maths definitely helps, but the content and in many ways the ways of thinking are different.

It's challenging but not impossible :smile:
Students on campus, Nottingham University
University of Nottingham
Nottingham
Visit website
Edit - This isn't for the Nottingham CS Course - It's for general CS courses (UCL in particular). Apologies!

Depends on your course - and tbf depends even more entirely on the lecturer. You'll most likely do a discrete maths module and then a pure/stats module too. I did Discrete Maths in my first year - it was absolutely terrible - the lecturer was terrible, the notes, everything. The content isn't too hard though, as in if it's explained once or twice it'll most likely make sense, so pray you get a good lecturer :smile:

Second year I'll be doing a stats/pure module, which is a fair bit of A level recap and then a few smaller topics added on top.

It's nothing crazy, if like me, you disliked A level maths, you'll still be fine.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by AndroidLight
Depends on your course - and tbf depends even more entirely on the lecturer. You'll most likely do a discrete maths module and then a pure/stats module too. I did Discrete Maths in my first year - it was absolutely terrible - the lecturer was terrible, the notes, everything. The content isn't too hard though, as in if it's explained once or twice it'll most likely make sense, so pray you get a good lecturer :smile:

Second year I'll be doing a stats/pure module, which is a fair bit of A level recap and then a few smaller topics added on top.

It's nothing crazy, if like me, you disliked A level maths, you'll still be fine.


Do you study at Nottingham?
Original post by DarkWhite
Do you study at Nottingham?

I will be starting first year in about two weeks..!
Which is enough time to worry about how hard its gonna be..

How hard do you find the course? Also how relevant is what your learning..?

Do you feel that you would be competent enough to get a job as a developer or architect afterwards...?

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