Programming is an interdisciplinary practice with applications in both mathematics and computer science. Mathematics concerns rigor, abstraction, and generalization. Computer science predominantly concerns efficiency, concreteness, and physicality. This makes programming a medium for problem solving that mediates between mathematics and computer…

Bachelors and graduate students are offered in the course of teaching computational informatics, the ability to solve nonstandard mathematical problems, which, as a rule, are not included in the content of teaching computational informatics. The article aimed to analyze the application effectiveness of non-standard mathematical problems in the…

The emphasis in several courses at technical faculties is on using a computer to perform numerical methods. Instead of focusing on mathematical rigorousness such courses usually concentrate on demonstrating the practical usage of numerical mathematical methods to the students. The practical usage of numerical methods is best learned by exposing…

Two kinds of secret writing, codes and ciphers, are discussed. The weakness of a ciphering system mentioned in the March 1981 issue is pointed out, and an alternate method is presented. Programs written in BASIC are presented which can be used to encipher messages and help break ciphers. (MP)

This paper discusses the role of reduction in computer science and describes a study on undergraduate students' perception of the concept of reduction. Specifically, based on an analysis of students answers to questions addressing different computer science topics, we present several findings regarding the ways in which undergraduate students…

This material contains two units which view applications of computer science. The first of these examines Horner's scheme; and is designed to instruct the user on how to apply both this scheme and related algorithms. The second unit aims for student understanding of standard bisection, secant, and Newton methods of root finding and appreciation of…

It is noted that there are some integrals which cannot be evaluated by determining an antiderivative, and these integrals must be subjected to other techniques. Numerical integration is one such method; it provides a sum that is an approximate value for some integral types. This module's purpose is to introduce methods of numerical integration and…

This article gives an overview of the new field of complexity theory which links computer science to mathematics, and ultimately to the solution of theoretical as well as practical problems in society and technology. (Author/MK)

A computer simulation of the Buffon Needle Problem for estimating the value of pi is discussed. (MP)

Examples of computer applications to solving real-world problems as generated by students at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) are featured. (MP)

Computer programing and problem-solving steps in mathematics are viewed to have related concepts. Some heuristics are compared with some suggestions for structured programing. The one fundamental difference between problem solving in general and when using the computer is seen as the computer solution must be finite. The computer is viewed as a…

Describes a series of activities in which students collect data on personal information and interests and use them to create a database file. Constructing a database gives students the opportunity to satisfy their natural curiosity and use numbers as they make predictions, develop number and operation sense, and explore data, fractions, and…

This paper presents new web-based educational software (webNetPro) for "Linear Network Programming." It includes many algorithms for "Network Optimization" problems, such as shortest path problems, minimum spanning tree problems, maximum flow problems and other search algorithms. Therefore, webNetPro can assist the teaching process of courses such…

A series of lessons designed to promote problem-solving skills by encouraging students to write programs is presented. All samples of solutions are written in BASIC. (MP)

These modules view aspects of computer use in the problem-solving process, and introduce techniques and ideas that are applicable to other modes of problem solving. The first unit looks at algorithms, flowchart language, and problem-solving steps that apply this knowledge. The second unit describes ways in which computer iteration may be used…