I am wondering...how many of you used to hate math and physics? How many of you had math and physics anxiety?
For me, it is challenging. Starting today, I am retaking Math and Physics again in my chosen course of game development. My attitude towards it was lax. I didn''t put in enough hours of study. The main reason was my ^attitude^ towards it. That attitude being, boredom and hatred towards learning it because it seems so foreign to English, History, Art, etc. So different. The ugly logical stepchild of learning subjects.
What I am trying to get at is this- I have a natural curiosity towards programming because it resembles a little bit of English. Yet, we all know mathematics is the foundation for computer science. It needs to learned first to build on learning game programming. So I am seeking some of your reasons why you love or like math so much? Or if you didn''t at first, how did you come about to like it?
Through your suggestions and experiences, I am hoping to find a temporary motive to keep me going till I find out why I love math so much. Which I don''t right now. Though my belief towards liking it and soon, remains steadfast. Once, I find my true motive, that wind will help me catch fast sail towards having a natural curiosity towards learning MORE of math. As we know natural curiosity = growth in learning.
I don''t care. Give a Top Ten list. Be funny Be creative. I am eagerly awaiting your reasons why you love math!
"I Vanna Fryyyy Skyyyy Hiiiiiiigh! Vroooll to get Vyyy!" -Sega''''s "Daytona USA"
Finding the beauty in mathematics
Author
''Attitude is everything - it''s your guide to life.'' -Anonymous
Reading that quote on the homepage really puts things into perspective. A nice segue here, if you will
I am wondering...how many of you used to hate math and physics? How many of you had math and physics anxiety?
For me, it is challenging. Starting today, I am retaking Math and Physics again in my chosen course of game development. My attitude towards it was lax. I didn''t put in enough hours of study. The main reason was my ^attitude^ towards it. That attitude being, boredom and hatred towards learning it because it seems so foreign to English, History, Art, etc. So different. The ugly logical stepchild of learning subjects.
What I am trying to get at is this- I have a natural curiosity towards programming because it resembles a little bit of English. Yet, we all know mathematics is the foundation for computer science. It needs to learned first to build on learning game programming. So I am seeking some of your reasons why you love or like math so much? Or if you didn''t at first, how did you come about to like it?
Through your suggestions and experiences, I am hoping to find a temporary motive to keep me going till I find out why I love math so much. Which I don''t right now. Though my belief towards liking it and soon, remains steadfast. Once, I find my true motive, that wind will help me catch fast sail towards having a natural curiosity towards learning MORE of math. As we know natural curiosity = growth in learning.
I don''t care. Give a Top Ten list. Be funny Be creative. I am eagerly awaiting your reasons why you love math!
"I Vanna Fryyyy Skyyyy Hiiiiiiigh! Vroooll to get Vyyy!" -Sega''''s "Daytona USA"
I am wondering...how many of you used to hate math and physics? How many of you had math and physics anxiety?
For me, it is challenging. Starting today, I am retaking Math and Physics again in my chosen course of game development. My attitude towards it was lax. I didn''t put in enough hours of study. The main reason was my ^attitude^ towards it. That attitude being, boredom and hatred towards learning it because it seems so foreign to English, History, Art, etc. So different. The ugly logical stepchild of learning subjects.
What I am trying to get at is this- I have a natural curiosity towards programming because it resembles a little bit of English. Yet, we all know mathematics is the foundation for computer science. It needs to learned first to build on learning game programming. So I am seeking some of your reasons why you love or like math so much? Or if you didn''t at first, how did you come about to like it?
Through your suggestions and experiences, I am hoping to find a temporary motive to keep me going till I find out why I love math so much. Which I don''t right now. Though my belief towards liking it and soon, remains steadfast. Once, I find my true motive, that wind will help me catch fast sail towards having a natural curiosity towards learning MORE of math. As we know natural curiosity = growth in learning.
I don''t care. Give a Top Ten list. Be funny Be creative. I am eagerly awaiting your reasons why you love math!
"I Vanna Fryyyy Skyyyy Hiiiiiiigh! Vroooll to get Vyyy!" -Sega''''s "Daytona USA"
quote:Original post by Gamersez
I am eagerly awaiting your reasons why you love math!
I grew up always enjoying mathematics, doing well at it in school and getting a degree in college in both comp sci and applied math. Some of my reasons:
- As you state, computer science is based fully in mathematics. My curiosity for both helped to reinforce my interest in each other.
- Mathematics in nature. Some would say we read too much into things, but the truth is that there are some very predictable and beautiful patterns in nature that have very elegant mathematical properties. Many rates of growth can map to a function of e , other shapes define the golden ratio (a number I really enjoy!)...
- A strong foundation in mathematics and logic can go a long way to improve your skills in logic, thinking, and reasoning for many things in life.
- You can tell mathematical jokes and laugh while all your friends wonder at your sanity... wait a sec...
---- --- -- -
Blue programmer needs food badly. Blue programmer is about to die!
The first geometry course I took dramatically changed my view of math. Until then (through grade school), math had seemed to be mostly arithmatic. I hate arithmatic; I'm still bad at it. When I took geometry, however, I saw the logical basis of math; it no longer seemed arbitrary. When I got a TI-83+ the arithmatic part disappeared altogether and it became even more enjoyable! Now that I'm beginning to look into things like number theory a little bit though, arithmatic doesn't seem so arbitrary after all!
Edited by - TerranFury on February 5, 2002 4:58:55 PM
Edited by - TerranFury on February 5, 2002 4:58:55 PM
Maths was always something I had a talent for, perhaps because that talent was measured relative to my other classes. I suspect it was because from an early age I enjoyed the challenge that mathematics offered. Writing an essay is a rather nebulous affair with success very subjectively determined by a teacher/tutor. Mathematics on the other hand offers (in general) an immediate evaluation of your ability. Many people dislike mathematics because they are turned off by the black and white of being either right or wrong. It''s hard to be partly correct and therefore partly encouraged when doing mathematics. Most people are discouraged early on because they get things wrong. Maths takes practice, just like any other language... and you have to continually use it to remember it.
So, my talent and enthusiasm grew into a First Class Honours degree in Applied Mathematics(Astrophysics) (but then I also obtained majors in Physics and Philosophy!) and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence (maths/comp sci) basically because I love to be continually challenged and stimulated.
Most people find their motivation through success, or the desire to achieve success. If you look at the long term goal of maths applied to game programming you may see maths as a hurdle you must overcome to achieve your goal. Instead, view learning mathematics as the goal and take pride in your successes in mathematics. Once you have achieved that, then achieving goals that depend on knowning mathematics will be that much easier!
Cheers,
Timkin
So, my talent and enthusiasm grew into a First Class Honours degree in Applied Mathematics(Astrophysics) (but then I also obtained majors in Physics and Philosophy!) and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence (maths/comp sci) basically because I love to be continually challenged and stimulated.
Most people find their motivation through success, or the desire to achieve success. If you look at the long term goal of maths applied to game programming you may see maths as a hurdle you must overcome to achieve your goal. Instead, view learning mathematics as the goal and take pride in your successes in mathematics. Once you have achieved that, then achieving goals that depend on knowning mathematics will be that much easier!
Cheers,
Timkin
Author
Very thought provoking Timkin!
"Mathematics on the other hand offers (in general) an immediate evaluation of your ability." Very true. I enjoy instant feedback. Good point.
"Instead, view learning mathematics as the goal and take pride in your successes in mathematics." Agreed.
Timkin, and btw, congrats on your successes so far. I have an interest in AI as well, particularily with programming.
As for everyone else''s reply, I REALLY appreciate you posting also. I''ve read them.
Please feel free to keep your reasons why you love math coming. The more suggestions, the more I enjoy reading them, the more the ideas (as well as many other prospective would-be programmers) help.
"I Vanna Fryyyy Skyyyy Hiiiiiiigh! Vroooll to get Vyyy!" -Sega''''s "Daytona USA"
"Mathematics on the other hand offers (in general) an immediate evaluation of your ability." Very true. I enjoy instant feedback. Good point.
"Instead, view learning mathematics as the goal and take pride in your successes in mathematics." Agreed.
Timkin, and btw, congrats on your successes so far. I have an interest in AI as well, particularily with programming.
As for everyone else''s reply, I REALLY appreciate you posting also. I''ve read them.
Please feel free to keep your reasons why you love math coming. The more suggestions, the more I enjoy reading them, the more the ideas (as well as many other prospective would-be programmers) help.
"I Vanna Fryyyy Skyyyy Hiiiiiiigh! Vroooll to get Vyyy!" -Sega''''s "Daytona USA"
quote:Original post by TerranFury
The first geometry course I took dramatically changed my view of math. Until then (through grade school), math had seemed to be mostly arithmatic. I hate arithmatic; I''m still bad at it. When I took geometry, however, I saw the logical basis of math; it no longer seemed arbitrary. When I got a TI-83+ the arithmatic part disappeared altogether and it became even more enjoyable! Now that I''m beginning to look into things like number theory a little bit though, arithmatic doesn''t seem so arbitrary after all!
Edited by - TerranFury on February 5, 2002 4:58:55 PM
I had always done well in math, but didn''t neccesarily like it. "Yeah, yeah, opposite interior angles equal. Whatever. Crank up the Soundgarden." It wasn''t until I took physics in high school and I realized "So that is the point of trigonometry!" that I started to have more of an appreciation for it.
I would argue that hardcore math is not that important for general programming anymore. For games, it definitely is. For engineering applications, it is. But I participated in building a pretty complex course manager with some other students last summer, and I can''t think of one instance where we needed math (except maybe Boolean arithmetic, which is pretty much everywhere).
Hi all!
I did poorly in math in high school, never took math in college, then got into the computer thing and realized that I had a serious hole in my education.
I think it was when I realized that, without math, the only games I would EVER be able to make would be text adventures, that I sat down and taught myself what I know of trigonometry, geometry, calculus, logic, and physics.
Inspirations? Chaos theory, astronomy, PI (the movie).
If possible, learn math in school. It is much easier than learning it in your spare time.
I did poorly in math in high school, never took math in college, then got into the computer thing and realized that I had a serious hole in my education.
I think it was when I realized that, without math, the only games I would EVER be able to make would be text adventures, that I sat down and taught myself what I know of trigonometry, geometry, calculus, logic, and physics.
Inspirations? Chaos theory, astronomy, PI (the movie).
If possible, learn math in school. It is much easier than learning it in your spare time.
After recently having started playing around with fractals I have found that math is all but boring, in fact very beautiful
My post up, your post down, my site here
Edited by - Jesper T on February 13, 2002 1:29:07 AM
My post up, your post down, my site here
Edited by - Jesper T on February 13, 2002 1:29:07 AM
According to me, mathematics have to be considered as a tool which allow you to modelize and resolve a problem, but maths for maths is a real boring task (too abstract) that a few people can handle due to complexity...
According to me, mathematics have to be considered as a tool which allow you to modelize and resolve a problem, but maths for maths is a real boring task (too abstract) that a few people can handle due to complexity...
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