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reading around computer science

trance addict

These problems are strange, the only ones ive seen that I could solve so far are the 2004 and 2008, are they just supposed to click straight away or not?

Also yeah thomas, I just want to beat that guy for personal satisfaction more than anything :smile:

Cambridge have said they'd prefer further maths AS more than A2 computing, but its only 4 units with 2 being programming so I thought why not take it. Also I know Imperial give out computing offers something like : AAA maths physics computing

Nope, they probably won't click straight away. On one of the questions I did my initial problem was thinking too mathematically, and looking at an efficient way of doing it. Don't forget you have a computer and can brute force certain aspects. :p:

Reply 21

trance addict

OP

18

Haha yeah, i'm looking at this finals paper and my brain has just died. The 2004 one I could picture the code to it and how it would work, the 2006 2007 problems were weird though, I didn't even understand what they were trying to ask exactly.

Reply 22

alex_hk90

19

trance addict

Haha yeah, i'm looking at this finals paper and my brain has just died. The 2004 one I could picture the code to it and how it would work, the 2006 2007 problems were weird though, I didn't even understand what they were trying to ask exactly.

Don't worry, I was entered for the 2007 one (I think, might have been 2006) and the wording was so confusing that I had to ask the invigilator what one of the questions was actually asking. :redface:

Reply 23

etp

11

DFranklin

Just remembered another site people might find interesting: http://projecteuler.net/

It's more fun/recreational than really serious stuff, and some problems require quite a bit of Maths knowledge. But it will give you some food for thought!

Seconding that; projecteuler is quite fun and it does pass the time :smile:

Reply 24

SunderX

14

Ehhh, I don't actually remember reading anything specific to my course.

Reply 25

Tipitman

9

thomasjtl

Tipitman- wtf? You seriously think that computer science has anything to do with repairing computers?

No lol, but it's just something simple that can be done as a side note, and if you do it for a tutors PC or whomever is writing your referance chances are you get a glowing referance. It worked for me lol.

Reply 26

GraveMentor

trance addict

What exactly should I start with/are there any books anyone can recommend that will help me get started. I was thinking of picking up on a few programming languages + reading some books on algorithm design and study some of the ways these are applied in various applications. Anyone recommend anything I could do to help my application for comp sci?

Well, if you want to read something, you could do a lot worse than "Algorithmics: The Spirit of Computing" by Harel and Feldman. It's a fairly relaxed run through algorithms, computability and a number of other areas you are likely to find in the former years of a good Computer Science degree.

If you want to pick up a programming language, then I would suggest a functional language like Haskell. "Programming in Haskell" by Hutton is a pretty good (and reasonably inexpensive) primer for this language.

Reply 27

thomasjtl

9

No lol, but it's just something simple that can be done as a side note, and if you do it for a tutors PC or whomever is writing your referance chances are you get a glowing referance. It worked for me lol.

I just gave mine a big brown envelope full of cash- same end result.

Reply 28

thomasjtl

9

Leave functional programming alone- it's just an irritating waste of time that they like to force you to do in your first term. The concepts aren't particularly difficult so there's no need to swat up on it before you begin- in any case they use FP partly at least because no one's done it beforehand. Boasting on your PS about how you know Haskell is more likely to piss the tutors off than anything else and encourage them to ask you really harsh questions on it.

Reply 29

trance addict

OP

18

*sigh*

things are SO much easier if you're applying for medicine

Reply 30

thomasjtl

9

well, apart from the getting in bit, perhaps. Medicine is like 6 to 1, computer science more like 1-1.5 to 1.

Reply 31

SunderX

14

thomasjtl

well, apart from the getting in bit, perhaps. Medicine is like 6 to 1, computer science more like 1-1.5 to 1.

1 to 1??! ^_o. Are you implying that ALL compsci applicants get in? Despite any talk of us being a 'dying' course, the admittance rate is still at least 3 to 1.

Reply 32

w0lfman

2

Have a read of the computer lab pages for applicants, they're full of information - plus check your college subject pages. I've got an offer from Churchill and their CS pages are comprehensive to say the least.

They say it's something of a bad idea to learn as involved a language as C, since you might pick up "bad habits" that are hard to unlearn. Python's great, it'll give you a good feel for common ideas in CS.

All the texts people have mentioned so far are a bit steep - if you want an insight into what CS is really about I'd recommend "Computers, Ltd" by David Harel. That was the first thing I ever read about the subject, and it just hit the nail on the head completely. A fantastic introduction to theoretical computer science.

Turing Omnibus is good, but intense, it'll take a few reads to sink it. Read up on Godel's Incompleteness Theorem - Music of the Primes or The Infinite Book - that'll blow your mind, turn you on to some boss maths and provide a nice introduction to the crazy thinking you'll need to do at university level.

Phew.

Reply 33

SunderX

14

w0lfman

Have a read of the computer lab pages for applicants, they're full of information - plus check your college subject pages. I've got an offer from Churchill and their CS pages are comprehensive to say the least.

They say it's something of a bad idea to learn as involved a language as C, since you might pick up "bad habits" that are hard to unlearn. Python's great, it'll give you a good feel for common ideas in CS.

All the texts people have mentioned so far are a bit steep - if you want an insight into what CS is really about I'd recommend "Computers, Ltd" by David Harel. That was the first thing I ever read about the subject, and it just hit the nail on the head completely. A fantastic introduction to theoretical computer science.

Turing Omnibus is good, but intense, it'll take a few reads to sink it. Read up on Godel's Incompleteness Theorem - Music of the Primes or The Infinite Book - that'll blow your mind, turn you on to some boss maths and provide a nice introduction to the crazy thinking you'll need to do at university level.

Phew.

Woo! Churchill!

2008 entry or 2009 entry? Either way, it's possible I'll be your college parent.

Still banking on getting a hot MML student from my 'spouse' though.

Reply 34

w0lfman

2

Wahey, delighted to meet you. I've actually talked to a grand total of one prospective Churchiller so far. If all goes according to plan I should be slammin' Churchill-side come this October. "Parents", "spouses"... sounds like one big happy "family".

reading around computer science

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