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That's a lousy way to start the New Year, Mick; my condolences... Cry | :((

Since I have a 1.75L bottle of Captain Morgan's rum right here on the counter, I'l have a cup in your honor. Cheers!

Will Rogers never met me.

Wrong is evil and must be defeated.
- Jeff Ello[^]

Machine ORG/Assembler Language VS. Discrete Mathematics

I can only take one. Which should it be? Why?

I want to take the class that will be most beneficial to me in the long run, and have the greatest impact on my thought processes and understanding/ make me more valuable in the workforce.

Currently I have three path pulling at me. Industrial and Systems Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science/Software Engineering. I start my masters program in Fall 2014 and want to take take some extra classes before my program starts.

Thank you for your advice and help!

-Plot Java | [Coffee]

Thank you again everyone! Discrete Math it is! Smile | :)

I love puzzles so I am excited to take the course. Thanks for all your input and great explanations.

Much Love,
-Plot Java | [Coffee]

modified 30-Dec-13 19:02pm.

For the long run... I'd say discrete mathematics... but then again, I have a minor in mathematics. Smile | :)

As to the reason why... discrete mathematics should help you understand the mathematics involved with discrete data processes. Hopefully by gaining an understanding as to the mathematics involved, you should be able to more fully comprehend how things are being achieved (in general, assuming you can extrapolate the mathematics).

Machine/assembly language is good to know, but you'll rarely use it and it's VERY specific to an architecture. So even if you learn to use it well in class, it'll be rare that you use the same instruction set again (unless you happen to get a very specific job).

That's just my five cents. Wink | ;)

I was a math major in college and later switched to IT; I've taken both classes. I would recommend the Discrete Math.

Discrete math is basically a class in logic, with inductive proofs, set theory and combinatronics taking the bulk of the course. It actually is a lot more fun than it sounds, especially if you enjoy puzzles. With this under your belt, other classes -- including ASM -- will make a lot more sense, as you will have the theory upon which the practical applications are based.

Assembler language is no rocket science, you can learn it by yourself. Here is an accelerated course:

Your processor has registers (int and float), it performs arithmetic & logic instructions (taking two or three operands); operands are in registers or taken from/to memory through simple address computation; memory holds a special area called the stack (lifo); you can "label" the instructions and jump to them, unconditionally or based on the result of the previous instruction (sign, overflow); there are special jumps called "calls" from which you can jump back later.

C++

Solve:
  load f0, K[0] // Read coefficient A
  load f1, K[1] // Read coefficient B
  load f2, K[2] // Read coefficient C
  load f3, f1 // Copy B
  mul f3, f3 // Square it
  mul f2, f0 // Multiply C by A (C overwritten)
  mul f2, 4 // 4.A.C
  sub f3, f2 // B.B - 4.A.C
  jmp neg, Done // No root
  push f3 // Push the argument onto the stack
  call Sqrt // Call the square root function
  pop f3 // Get the return value, Sqrt(B.B - 4.A.C)
  sub f3, f1 // - B + Sqrt(D)
  mul f0, 2 // 2.A
  div f3, f0 // (- B + Sqrt(D)) / 2.A
  store X, f3 // Write the root
Done:
  ret // Return control to the caller

If you were able to follow that code, you can move on to the Discrete Mathematics course, for which no accelerated version is available. Smile | :)

modified 30-Dec-13 17:37pm.

M.D.V.

If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

I believe you are saying, and this is a bit of a hunch/guess given the topic we are discussing.

Also please excuse any errors I am semi new to computer science and it's vocabulary.

There are low level and high level language, assembly being a very low level/machine level set of instructions. Writing machine level is more time consuming for functionally equivalent algorithms. So, many decades ago people solved this issue by creating higher level language and compilers.

So, solved problem is machine/assembler language.

I'd say we should worry about solved problems a) so we know our solution is correct b) in the framework of computers so we can better understand the machine (TLDR: understanding solved problems is important so we can understand higher level concepts, arithmatic-> algebra-> calculus-> differential E.Q.)

If there is no solution we should worry about it because a problem having no solution simple means we currently do not know how to solve it (granted there is no solution to some philosophical problems, and I believe those shouldn't be worried about) E.G. calculus made "unsolvable" problems solvable. This makes your second question a valuation of progress. If we value knowledge and progress we should worry about the "unsolvable" If we don't care then we shouldn't. I say we should because we can use knowledge to improve living conditions for mankind, and I believe life should be as responsibly pleasurable as possible (a somewhat hedonistic view) So, we should worry about the "unsolvable" because it may be solvable given new technique and approach.

I suspect that your first question represents the course on assembly language, and your second question represents discrete mathematics... Big Grin | :-D

That was fun, ty for the fun opportunity to think about your questions. SO, how did you mean for them to be interpreted?

ALso, Thank you both for your posts

Think you mistook @Nelek's signature line for a post directly relating to your original post.

Haha your right...

I guess you just learned about signature lines... Poke tongue | ;-P

I think so Poke tongue | ;-P

M.D.V.

If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

What really worries me are the times when I stop worrying and feel over-confident in my own technical mastery: for those times are, inevitably, punctuated by disasters in judgement Smile | :)

Happy New Year !

“I'm an artist: it's self evident that word implies looking for something all the time without ever finding it in full. It is the opposite of saying : 'I know all about it. I've already found it.'

As far as I'm concerned, the word means: 'I am looking. I am hunting for it. I am deeply involved.'”

Vincent Van Gogh

What kind of university doesn't allow to have both of them? Both are important. Discrete Maths is a must-have for understanding how CPU thinks. And I believe that on an assembler course you would learn not only a language itself, but also how CPU works.

Ps: what is a "Machine ORG"?.

Greetings - Jacek

He didn't say he wasn't allowed both, he just said he's taking one or the other.

I am allowed to take both simultaneously, but there are credit limitations. I believe I am limited to 22 credits a semester. I am enrolled in 4 classes, for the fifth spot it's discrete vs assembly. I have my summer classes planned out, and I start grad school in Fall. So, I am allowed to take both, but priorities and time require that I choose one of the two.

Jon Plotner wrote:
22 credits a semester

That would be a heck of a workload... unless you have some easy classes in the mix.

I took an average of 21 credits per quarter at the engineering school I went to... for more than 3 years, while working, including summers. This was a school where 75% is a failing grade.

Nothing wrong with working your ass off, just brings the crazy out sooner Smile | :)

Well a semester is pretty much a quarter... I graduated in three years as well, but I wouldn't wish my gray hairs on anyone... Laugh | :laugh:

Eh, 4 quarters in a year, only 2.5 semesters or so... Brain did all it could to absorb an entire course in 11 weeks, much less 6 or 7 of them.

Didn't graduate in 3 years, took me just over 4 since I changed majors twice in a school where changing programs meant basically starting over. My hair was gray by my sophomore year, by the time I graduated I felt 10 years older Smile | :)

There's actually four school semesters in most universities. Spring and Fall are the usual, then there's usually two summer sessions. The summer sessions are condensed.

I've taken both. The only thing that stuck with me from discrete math was some of the vector operations. Those came in handy for some game code.

The assembly class had us using exposed circuit boards and wiring them for LEDs countdown timers and buzzers. So... it was basically a class to teach bomb building.

Of the two I've gotten more use out of the math. Homeland security tends to frown on the other anyway. Roll eyes | :rolleyes:

Play my game Gravity: Android[^], Windows Phone 7[^]

You do realise that security agency bots have already made note of your comments? The hamsters are scheduled to have their doors bashed off the hinges at 2am tomorrow morning in pursuit of getting your address and inside leg measurements etc.

If there is one thing more dangerous than getting between a bear and her cubs it's getting between my wife and her chocolate.

Advanced mathematical knowledge is always helpful no matter what technical field you go end up in as it will hopefully imprint on you different ways to view and analyze data.

Quote:
Currently I have three path pulling at me. Industrial and Systems Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science/Software Engineering.

It would help to know what undergraduate program you are currently enrolled in and what you hope to do when you graduate. Based on these three graduate study areas, I would assume that you are currently in a math and/or computer science program and hope to use all that stuff you have been learning in the real world. Smile | :)

I am not saying that that can not happen, but many engineers will tell you that it is the problem solving skills you have hopefully developed that you will be use the most versus any specific knowledge you may hope to remember.

In any case, good luck and study hard. Smile | :)

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