Anybody here good with math?

[WiredIncorrectly]

Is anybody here good with math at a high level. I mean finite state machines, and discreet math topics?

I need a tutor, somebody who can help me make sense of things I struggle with. I'm currently working in AI and writing algorithms to play/beat a game. My game dev. knowledge is good and I can code games. I'm good with 3D modelling, rigging and animation too. I can hack games to control NPC's or even the main character (for games such as the real pacman, and controlling ghosts. All research thus far has been on copies of pacman which don't fully implement the ghost physics).

If anybody can help me in return I will teach you programming, or game development. I know a lot of languages and a lot of technologies. But I'm struggling to understand some math topics from a text book I'm reading (Discrete Math for Computer Scientists J.K. Truss).

Or maybe we could work on AI projects together? I'm interested in replicating algorithms from academic papers and journals.

Thanks for reading.

[AntsyVee]

Sorry James. I took Calculus in college, but that's been 20 years ago now :/ But I'll watch whatever you make!

[WiredIncorrectly]

Thank's Vee :) I wish I listened at school now.

[WiredIncorrectly]

I'm rather "antsy" about something to be honest. It's math symbols that confuse me a lot. Nobody in any of the years I've been learning math told me that the math symbols are the Greek alphabet. Today I learned. It really just changed my entire perspective of math. I guess that's what happens when you leave school at 14 :(

[whispershadow]

sorry i'm maths dyslexic so even struggle with basic maths :(

[AntsyVee]

There's a purpose for all types of math. It's just that outside of basic algebra, most of us don't use all of them unless we're in a specific career. For example, I remember in college calc learning how to find the area under a curve...but unless I'm designing my own drapes or furniture and crafting it myself, I'd never use that skill. But schools never know what our future will be. In fact, most of us have no idea what we want to do until we become adults and try out a few things, so schools try to give us at least the basics.

[Lolalee1]

I know 1+1=2 is about my limit :wacko:

[MyNameIsTerry]

There's a purpose for all types of math. It's just that outside of basic algebra, most of us don't use all of them unless we're in a specific career. For example, I remember in college calc learning how to find the area under a curve...but unless I'm designing my own drapes or furniture and crafting it myself, I'd never use that skill. But schools never know what our future will be. In fact, most of us have no idea what we want to do until we become adults and try out a few things, so schools try to give us at least the basics.

And then you get into work to find most of it is done with a calculator, spreadsheet or bespoke program.

It's the age old debate about why school doesn't prepare you basic skills in the real world for now. But I suspect a great deal has changed since my day and teachers include education about useful skills and knowledge of things. Over here it could be better to give kids more of a head start into living rather than studying. How many understand politics, something 2 years later they get the ability to influence? Or understanding how to save money? But kids are more internet savvy now so point them at a resource and they will figure a lot out from help guides, blogs, etc.

What did I use from school? Very little. Working in admin, customer services, complaints, analysis, etc it counted for little. Experience teaches you how to cope and business isn't always the same as education, experience will teach you the wrinkles which teachers won't know themselves (at least I found this when training people).

Even working in business analysis I didn't need more than basic maths. That's what calculators and Excel was for. I did start relearning some algebra but only because I was doing some personal training the company wouldn't pay for and it included some algebra to calculate the value of process improvements.

But go into a science based occupation and it's going to be very different. This is where those students got an excellent grounding. But did it fail those that went into occupations where all those exercises with triangles is never used again?

Vee, if governments did influence education more towards industry skills a nation needs do you think it would be very detrimental to students? It would mean streams, which we already have for speed of learning purposes, but would it just write off some and create more divides?

[AntsyVee]

Yeah, teachers have these debates all the time, Terry. We’re always trying to stay relevant while making sure any kid who wants to go to higher education will be able to qualify. And then there’s the limited time, plus many educational deficits to which kids come to you. I’m on my district’s curriculum committee for history.

right now our big debate is teaching typing vs. cursive handwriting. I say get rid of cursive...cause when a kid comes to me at 15 only typing with two fingers and not using spaces after periods, they’re behind the curve.

[WiredIncorrectly]

What was Brenda posting lol?

And yes Antsy that's the thing, unless we use the math on a daily basis it's hard to remember everything. I've progressed a fair bit since posting with the help of my books, Khans academy and Youtube.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Brenda was posting one of those paragraphs about their experience with this subject with a hyperlink in the middle to training site I think.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Brenda was posting one of those paragraphs about their experience with this subject with a hyperlink in the middle to training site I think.

Oh dear. Spammers.