What is the importance of Computer Science in improving mathematical skills?

3 responses to “What is the importance of Computer Science in improving mathematical skills?”

1. 
   esoterik

   January 26, 2012 at 8:40 pm | Permalink

   CS helps you think very abstractly about problems and it also helps you to organize your thoughts. In my computer science class, we are given programs to write and it requires meticulous attention and a little bit of clever thinking to figure out how to write the code. It’s a pain in the ass lol

   - Eso

2. 
   grizzbr1

   January 26, 2012 at 8:48 pm | Permalink

   Other way around, math is more important to CS than CS is to math. We couldn’t have Computer Science without Math, we could have Math without Computer Science.

3. 
   Edward W

   January 26, 2012 at 9:03 pm | Permalink

   In many fields of mathematics computer science does not play a large direct role, and may not add much insight.

   The areas of closest direct overlap are between theoretical computer science and discrete mathematics. But there, as grizzbr1 correctly points out, the relationship is the other way around, and the math helps to understand the computer science.

   Number theory and computer science are connected, in that the ideas from number theory are helpful in the theories behind computer security and the evaluation of computer performance. Here again, the math influences the computer science.

   On the other hand (and I realize that this is a different question from the one you asked) computers themselves play a big role in three areas of math: numerical methods, visualization, and education.

   Numerical methods are approximate ways to solve mathematical problems that are too hard to solve exactly. The approximations are done on a computer. In this sense, computers can improve mathematical skills, because the numerical solutions may yield new mathematical insights towards exact solutions. The fields in which this might occur include diffrerential equations and applied mathematics.

   Visualization helps to express mathematical concepts and ideas graphically, so that greater insight can be gained. The explosion in computer graphics technology has been of great help in this regard. Here again, computer technology can help improve math skills, particularly if you are interested in geometry and topology.

   Finally, computers are of great help in providing new, innovative ways to teach mathematics at all levels. The graphing calculator (which is really a handheld computer) has become a standard teaching tool in introductory math courses. In higher level math, many textbooks have CD-ROMs for further illustration, computer-based excercises, and web sites with additional materials and corrections. This is the most direct way in which computers can improve mathematics skills.