[Discuss] OT: Do CS grads need calculus?

[Mike Small]

Daniel Barrett <dbarrett at blazemonger.com> writes:
> I haven't needed calculus for three decades as a software developer
> (YMMV), except during a school assignment to write a LISP program that
> calculates derivatives. That was a fun assignment BTW. Really drove
> home why LISP rocks.

Which experience would be closed off to students who weren't made to do
at least a little calculus (but I don't suppose many students get to see
Lisp these days either, so whatever).  Bill's point about there being
other areas of math that could be delved into instead sounds
reasonable. But this is bringing back memories of tutoring some business
students back in Canada and how appalling their math prerequisite
was. Just cheesy. If CS programs do a really pretty discrete math course
and/or other math courses I don't know about and do it as a proper
university course, great.  But to satisfy the kid in that forum I'm
guessing you'd get some kind of "math for dummies" jig.

This thread has me wishing I could stop working and go learn a bunch of
stuff I'd never use.

-- 
Mike Small
smallm at panix.com