Hi Nicol, Okay? Well, I can say right off that creating Algebra formulas is a key part of programming. A formula like p = 2l+2w would calculate the perimitor of a square or rectangle. For example, if we are getting into graphics programming an indepth knowledge of basic geometry is essentual in order to render the graphics on screen properly using those formulas.
Anyway, another key concept that carries over is variables which was definitely covered in my Algebra class. In the formula p = 2l+2w the letters p, l, and w are variables because we don't know what numbers/values they contain yet. They are just substitutions or place holders so to speak. Now, if we assume l is 10 and w is 5 we now get a rectangle 10 units long by 5 units wide. We can now do the formula by calculating 2 times l plus 2 times w. After we work the formula we find out that p, the perimitor, is 30. The point I want to get at here is that in any type of programming we use variables to hold values of a keyboard command, numbers, strings, whatever until they are needed. If we don't know what a certain value is we can work a formula to find that out. Understanding variables, therefore, is critical to even beginning to think about programming, because variables are used to store information until it is needed by the program, or use to substitute a value that we don't know yet. That's why I'm saying that at least high school Algebra is pretty much essential to beginning programming. When it comes to game programming it is more so. You have all kinds of formulas such as how to calculate the distance an object has traveled in a certain amount of time, calculating where the objects next location on the grid is, etc. There are hundreds of calculations that goes into any complex game and it requires some kind of familiarity with those concepts before beginning. On 11/28/10, NIcol <nicoljaco...@telkomsa.net> wrote: > Hi Tom > On 28 november at 12:48 a.m. you wrote: > "For example, a lot of the concepts and terminology in programming such > as variables, integers, floats, arrays, etc are taken right out of > your high school Algebra textbook. Sheesh, I learned about variables, > arrays, floating point numbers, etc all by the ninth grade." > You made a very interesting point. > I never knew before that a lot of programming concepts comes from the grade > 9 algebra. I also did algebra in grade 9 but we were never taught variables, > integers, floats, and arrays. > The only algebra we did was called formulas. > For example, our formulas in the math class would look something like this: > 5[6 times 8] > This formula means that the sum inside the bracket is calculated and then > the answer is multiplied with the figure outside the bracket. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gam...@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
