<p>Hi, I'm going into my freshmen year at a community college and majoring in computer science. I'm planning on taking linear algebra and/or discrete mathematics next semester depending on what's offered. I don't need another math class so should I even bother taking Calculus 3 or Differential Equations? I've been told there both useless and not used at all for if I'm majoring in computer science and I'm thinking about going into cyber security or maybe cryptography. If I should take a math class, which one should i take? </p>
<p>So far my schedule is:
Introduction to Object Design and Programming
Calculus 3/Differential Equations or another GenEd class
English 101
History 101
Music 101</p>
<p>Statistics is always useful for almost any science major. Cryptography is usually offered through math departments, although I’m not sure if a CC would have a professor who can teach it.</p>
<p>Discrete math and linear algebra are the most likely to be needed. Multivariable calculus and differential equations may help for some applications (scientific computing, numerical analysis, etc.). A calculus-based statistics course is often recommended. If you are in doubt, take them all (and if you like math, that should be no problem; if you do not like math, then CS may not be for you, especially the more theoretical / mathematical areas like cryptography).</p>
<p>Check the articulation agreements between your community college and state universities to see what courses are needed to transfer to the CS major at state universities.</p>
<p>Don’t forget to figure out which CS courses you will need to take.</p>
<p>I just don’t want to waste my money and take a class that’s never going to be used in my future. Calculus 3 and Differential Equations are my only choices for math classes for this semester. They don’t offer any others.</p>
<p>Note that at some or many schools, the various topics of sophomore math (multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations) may be combined. So if the CS major at a four year school requires the “linear algebra and differential equations” course, then you need to take both linear algebra and differential equations in order to avoid having to partially repeat the course after transferring.</p>
<p>Linear algebra and differential equations appear to the most likely to be combined. In addition, differential equations may be useful in electronics courses. However, multivariable calculus is useful if you take a physics course with electricity and magnetism.</p>
<p>Check the actual requirements and the articulation agreements to be sure.</p>
<p>The requirements for the university I’m transferring to are Calculus 1 and 2, discrete mathematics, any math class with calculus 2 as a prerequisite, and a 400 level stats class with calculus 2 as a prerequisite. I just wanted to know if it’s worth taking Calculus 3 or differential equations if I know I’m going to be taking linear algebra.</p>
<p>Okay going off what UVA recommends (because thats where i attend) for a comp sci BS you should aim to take…</p>
<p>Calc 1, Calc 2, Calc 3, Mathematical Probability and two of the following (Diff Eq, Linear and Statistics).</p>
<p>Off that list and your needs, i say take calc 3, mathematical prob and linear. From what i’ve heard mathematical prob is a good class to have as a cs major. Calc 3 is needed for mathematical prob, atleast on continuous probabilities. Discrete probability requires sequences and series knowledge from calc 2 (don’t confuse discrete probability with discrete mathematics). Linear is a good class to have to understand matricies and all their fun applications. </p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Don’t bother with Calc III or diff eq. Since you’re at a community college, none of the material you’ll get into will be deep enough to need calculus, even in related math requirements.</p>
<p>Since I was the math/computer science hybrid major as an undergrad, I am in favor of the CS student taking a good amount of math. I would advise ANY CS major to take the following:</p>
<p>Calculus I - Why?..required
Calculus II - Why?..required
Linear Algebra - Why?..required and VERY useful for upper-level courses and on the job
Discrete Structure/Discrete Math (sophomore-level course) - Why?..required
Number Theory or Abstract Algebra I - Why?..helpful when taking Cryptology
Combinatorics - Why?..more in depth discrete mathematics; can be useful on the job
Graph Theory - Why?..applies directly to design of large networks
Optimization/Operations Research - Why?..many applications in the real world
Statistics - needed for producing metrics and interpreting metrics; Also just about every graduate CS, CompE, SoftE or SysE program will require a “grad stats” course.</p>