To provide the student with the knowledge and understanding of the basic and IT related mathematical concepts, tools and techniques required in computing. This module will allow students advance their mathematical skills and aid the development of their problem solving and mathematical ability appropriate to computing.
Numbers, Arithmetic and Variables
Number systems, Laws of precedence, Variables, Variable expressions, Laws of Distribution, Functions, Equations, Solving Linear 1 variable, quadratic and simultaneous equations. Definition of congruence. Introduction to modular arithmetic.
Co-ordinate Geometry
The x-y plane, Plotting points. Graphing simple functions, some formulae; distance, mid-point etc. The computer screen, similarities and differences with/to the x-y plane. Discussion on the algorithms used by computers to graph lines etc.
Counting in bases other than 10
Bases/radix. Overview of how counting in the base 10 works. Introduction to counting in other bases with emphasis on binary, octal and hexadecimal. Converting to and from the base 10. Adding, subtracting and multiplying in binary.
Set Theory
Definition of a set, introduction to the set operators intersection union and complement. Venn Diagrams, Truth tables and the links between Set theory and Boolean algebra.
Boolean Algebra
Switches and Boolean variables. Logical AND, OR, NOT operators. Logical Statement. Truth Tables. Introduction to some of the logical laws including De Morgans Theorem.
Matrices
Definition of a matrix. Addition, Subtraction and Multiplication of matrices. Discussion on the application of matrices to the solving of systems of equations and to graphics.
Handling Statistical Data
Sources and collection of data. Accuracy and approximation. Tabulation and presentation. Graphs, diagrams and charts. Reporting statistical results.
Descriptive Statistics
Measures of location: mean, median and mode, geometric mean. Measures of dispersion: range, mean deviation, standard deviation, interquartile ranges. Coefficient of variation. Skewness and measures of skewness.
Probability and Probability Distributions
Introduction to probability; probability laws discrete and continuous probability distributions. Binomial, Poisson and normal distributions. Sampling distributions, confidence limits for means and proportions.
Differentiation and Integration
Differentiation from first principles; Basic rules for derivatives; The concept of a derivative as a 'rate of change'; Rules of integration; Calculate the area under a curve;
Graphs and Trees
Graphs and their representation; Paths; Graph traversals; Trees; Spanning and Binary trees;
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 40 |
| Formal Examination | 60 |