Array troubles

[dcs]

Originally Posted by WingedPanther

One of the things a lot of people don't realize is how much of programming falls under math. Math isn't about crunching numbers, it's about systems of information. Function calls, regardless of the data passed or returned, are part of mathematics. Understanding compositions of functions is relevant here. Even if the only data you work with is strings, it still falls under math. Also, SQL is completely based around the principles of set theory.

I don't need to know how to write a recursive descent parser front end for a compiler -- I just click the **** build button.

Languages like C are still lowish-level, and you are still insulated from needing to know most of this stuff. In fact, you are actually encouraged NOT to try to look up the implementation's skirt.

[Xav]

Originally Posted by WingedPanther

One of the things a lot of people don't realize is how much of programming falls under math. Math isn't about crunching numbers, it's about systems of information.

Math isn't just about crunching numbers. There are plenty of occasions which could be called "math" which isn't even concerning information systems.

[WingedPanther]

One of the ways math impacts a programming language: Is it Turing-complete? The very question is mathematical, yet it addresses whether the language has the power to do anything we can think of.

[dcs]

Originally Posted by WingedPanther

One of the ways math impacts a programming language: Is it Turing-complete? The very question is mathematical, yet it addresses whether the language has the power to do anything we can think of.

While this is true, using the language requires none of this.

The ones who choose to come up with languages have to deal with that. But that's not programming, per se -- that's language development, right?

[WingedPanther]

True. But it does impact the languages I choose to work with

[Aereshaa]

Programming isn't about math, it's about logic. If. unless. While. Until. And so on. Like a statement like this:

if(key[KEY_LEFT])ship->x -= ship->spd;

That's not about the math, it's about the if. The user is making a choice. That's what I think programming is mostly made of.

[dargueta]

Programming involves math. What do you think RSC encryption involves? Math. Lots of it.

[Aereshaa]

Sure it includes math, but the thing that makes it programming rather than just issuing commands, is conditionals: logic.

[Steve.L]

Originally Posted by Aereshaa

Programming isn't about math, it's about logic. If. unless. While. Until. And so on. Like a statement like this:

if(key[KEY_LEFT])ship->x -= ship->spd;

That's not about the math, it's about the if. The user is making a choice. That's what I think programming is mostly made of.

Programming is explicitly pure logic, and implicitly pure mathematics. The former applies and is valid because mathematics is also in the larger category of logic.

[dargueta]

...shown by the fact that any arithmetic operation can be performed using a combination of logic operations. Completely agree with you there.