Math
Activities and Math
My original intent for this site was to document my efforts to build a very basic chip, compiler, and operating system. I plan to implement them first in software and then in an FPGA. My goal is to do this as an exercise to help me really understand what's going on in a computer and virtual machines and not necessarily to produce a commercially viable product. Should be fun.. definitely educational, and no doubt more work than I really want to think about.
I've done quite a bit of reading towards that end, but have recently been side tracked by two topics: math, and Win32 reparse points.
I'm contemplating how to go back to college and actually get a degree, and one of the areas I know I never went far enough in is math. I was always good at math, but didn't get very far in calculus and statistics, both of which are of course critical for a CS/Eng degree.
So, I've been reading a couple of books by a guy named Morris Kline. I started with his book "Calculus - An intuitive and Physical Approach". While I really liked his writing style and was enjoying the book, I realized a few chapters in that I really needed to brush up on some of the more fundamental topics in math in order to really grasp the concepts. While browsing at a book store a few weeks ago, I ran across another book by him called "Mathematics for the Nonmathematician", which I readily picked up since i liked his writing style in the calculus book.
I'm about 80% of the way through the "Mathematics for the Nonmathematician" book, and have found it to be a fascinating read. He approaches the subjects from a historical perspective and gives insight into when the different techniques came about and why the culture and understanding of the times led to the various discoveries that were made. He really gives the reader a context to fit the learning into that, I think, makes the ideas more memorable. Morris also does a good job of making the reader appreciate the achievements that were made, and it's just very enjoyable purely from a historical context.
About Morris Kline
So, that's where my spare tech time at home has been going.. into math.
Work has lately had a focus on Win32 reparse points, but I'll save that for the next post...
