Debate on... Math and Computer Science [Home Thread]

[tls]

A fellow durtle addressed the wish to have discussions on programming, math (probability, statistics, etc) or finances related subjects.

The original question was based around MOOC programs. This may can be combined or enhanced with a “book club style” setup. The idea is to read math or computer science (CS) related articles or books or programs to

• build up a math & CS related vocabulary stack
• discuss the content of these articles / books / programs …

Where to start
There has been a couple of awesome suggestions by @d-hermit senpai and @Jonapedia senpai. They recommended a couple of online programs namely:

• pazia.jp
• edx - introduction into electronic egineering
• jmooc

and others. I do not wish to limit this thread to those programs but they are an excellent point to start with, I think.

Who is this “book club” addressing to?
You made it until here, you are absolutely excited about the topic but wondering whether it suits your level?

First of all - awesome. Apart from that - I have no idea. As this thread is designed to become a home coming thread I am absolutely confident though, that we can have readings on a beginner friendly level same same to readings on a more advanced level.

Next steps
Let’s see if some durtles are interest in starting a math or CS related “book club”. Next step would be to decide on specific articles / books / programs / … to focus on.

@hughesgeorgem, @NyappyTiramisu and @caiomiyashiro senpai, I’m tagging you since you (kind of) expressed interest in this kind of book club. @AWR san I’m wondering if you feel like joining us or have any resources to share?

[tls]

Currently reading

• パソコンの秘密 (Math and CS book club)

Reading proposals

Credits: General outline and template originally taken from the different book clubs by level: absolute beginners / beginner / intermediate book club. (adapted for this club)

How to propose

Proposal guidelines

Please keep in mind:

• Nominate something you are ready to read
• Nominate something clearly related to math or CS related topics
• Nominate something feasibly to procure
• For the short web articles / web text snippets section: nominate something that can be read and discussed within one week
  
  

Proposal template (short web articles / web text snippets)

We don’t have a template for this. Simply add your proposal to the bottom of the list. In case we have multiple options we will poll about which one to read next.

Proposal template (books / papers / long texts / non-digital texts)

Copy the following template into a new post when proposing a book or paper.

For page samples, you can either take photos of your own copy (try to make the three additional pages ‘representative’ if possible), grab photos from the internet, or use previews from e.g. Amazon, BookWalker, EBookJapan. Make sure the text is legible.

    # Insert Title Here

    ## Summary
    Insert summary from Amazon/Wikipedia/MyAnimeList/wherever or abstract of a paper here.

    ## Availability
    Insert link to book on amazon.co.jp here. (if applicable)
    Insert link(s) to ebook here, or mention if an ebook is not available. (if applicable)
     Insert link(s) to where to get the paper. (if applicable)

    ## Personal Opinion
    Insert why you think this book or paper would be interesting to read, personally and for the book club here.

    ## Pictures

    [details=“First Three Pages of Chapter One”]
    Insert images here (can be photos from you or the internet, or from ebook previews).
    [/details]

    [details=“Paper”]
    Insert a few more images / copy of the abstract here.
    [/details]

    ## Difficulty Poll
    How much effort would you need to read this book?

    [poll type=regular public=true]
    * No effort at all
    * Minimal effort
    * Just right
    * Challenging
    * Impossible, even with everyone’s help
    * I don’t know (please click this if you’re not voting seriously)
    [/poll]

Current proposals

short web articles / web text snippets

• title: please add the title of the website / article here and make a link to it
• description: please add a very brief description what it is about
• comment: in case you wish to propose only part of the linked web resource mention it here or make a post with your comment in this thread and link to it.
  • example: “let’s read the proof section of this Wikipedia article.”
  • or: “let’s read the Japanese phrasing of this theorem but not the full proof.”
  • or: [link to your post]

Math related articles:

tile	description	comment
東京大学 理系 2012年度 第4問 解説	explanation and solution on 2012 University of Tokyo entrance exam question	let’s try the full article (problem section (問題編) and solution section (解答編) ) and see how it goes.
(next proposal)	(description cell)	(comment cell)

CS related articles:

As for Programming, some exercises are the best way to also learn, so maybe get a intro guide like this or this one and go through the sections, solving simple problems.

tile	description	comment
パソコンの秘密	What is a computer, how does it work and current applications	haven’t read it yet
Git 2.7.4 @ Prog-8	How does version controlling with git works - basic work flow - track changes
プログラミングしながら学ぶコンピュータサイエンス入門	basic and key concepts in computer programming - emphasizes on big data and AI	the full course is 4 weeks → why not start out with the first one and see how it goes → we might stretch the course or drop it after the first week
(next proposal)	(description cell)	(comment cell)

books / papers / long texts / non-digital texts

• book / paper title: please add the title of the book / paper / … here and make a link to your proposal post
• description: please add a very brief description what it is about
• reading level: please add the reading level after it was polled in your proposal

book / paper title	reading level	description
(title cell)	(level cell)	(description cell)

Other book clubs advertisement corner

There is a math or CS related reading coming up in your book club? Feel free to advertise it here.

• book / paper title: please add the title of the book / paper / … here and make a link to the home thread
• description: please add a very brief description why it is related to math / CS
• reading level: please add the reading level

book / paper title	reading level	description
(title cell)	(level cell)	(description cell)

---

Vocabulary terms

Math related terms

In general: if some of the cells are not applicable, leave the empty. For clarification it can be beneficial to add mathematical notations.

• term: please add the term in Japanese here
• first occurrence: name the resource how this term found its way into this wiki (if applicable)
• translation: please add an English translation here and provide a link to an online dictionary here (if applicable)
• community agreement: in case there was a discussion around the term or it’s translation please add a link to the (first) relevant post here (if applicable)

term	first occurrence	translation	community agreement
(vocab term)	(resource of first occurrence)	(translation + link, in case it is on jisho)	(translation + link to community based comment / poll / …)
集合	Conversation	Set
方程式	None yet	Equation
微分	None yet	Derivative
積分	None yet	Integral
AをBと置く	Japanese university maths lecture notes		Let A be B
Aのn乗	東京大学 2012 entrance exam question		A to the nth power
自然数	東京大学 2012 entrance exam question		Natural number
整数	東京大学 2012 entrance exam question		Whole number (from ℕ or ℤ – just as ambiguous as in English)
示す	Japanese university maths problem		To show/prove
複素数	None yet	Complex Number

Computer Science related terms

term	first occurrence	translation	community agreement
(vocab term)	(resource of first occurrence)	(translation + link, in case it is on jisho)	(translation + link to community based comment / poll / …)
変数	Variable	Variable
演算子	Operator	Operator
実行	Execution (of a program)	Execution
二進法	パソコンの秘密	Binary numeral system

---

@ everyone: feel free to expand once this is a wiki post.

[tls]

Let’s select our first CS related reading:

• コンピュータのひみつ - multiple weeks!
• edx - Programming Introduction - multiple weeks!
• prog-8 - Git
• prog-8 - React
• prog-8 - SQL
• Not interested in reading along - just like to poll

[Jonapedia]

This might not really be the sort of maths you’re looking for, but another way of getting a look at mathematical vocabulary in Japanese would be to look for sites that discuss entrance examination preparation. I came across a question in an anime that I couldn’t solve, only to find that it was a 2012 University of Tokyo entrance exam question. I then found a solution for it on a website that explained how to solve it step by step. I don’t really feel like looking for it right now, but I think the maths problem appeared in Season 2 of the Nisekoi anime in a study session scene, and I believe that just searching the problem text brought me to the website. Such pages are a good way to learn how mathematical reasoning is presented in Japanese, using such words as
AをBと置く – let A be B
n乗 – nth power
自然数 – natural number
整数 – whole number
EDIT FOR CLARITY: by that, I mean the etymological sense of ‘integer’, which means ‘intact’ or ‘whole’ in Latin, and as such includes all numbers without a fractional or decimal part, including negative ones. This is the set written as \mathbb{Z} in mathematical notation. However, it seems 整数 is ambiguous in both Japanese and Chinese. 整数 can mean both ‘positive whole number greater than or equal to zero’ and ‘integer’.
示す – show/prove
and so on.

EDIT: OK, turns out it was easy to find that site. Here you go:

東京大学 理系 2012年度 第4問 解説

[AWR]

My maths is a lot better than my CS.
That’s not hard! My maths is mediocre but my CS is near zero.
My Japanese is very beginner.
But yes, I’m interested.

One of the things that got me re-interested in programming was trying to solve www.projecteuler.net problems. I’ve read a few maths books - mostly number theory as I was an 工学者 by degree and I hadn’t studied any.

It seems to me that you need @RoseWagsBlue if you want a maths expert.

Time is always my problem but I’m along for the ride.

[tls]

@Jonapedia

AをBと置く – let A be B
n乗 – nth power
自然数 – natural number
整数 – whole number
示す – show/prove
and so on.

At least from my part of the share… that is exactly a level to start from.

Same same as @AWR san I consider myself on the beginner side when it comes to Japanese. Therefore the related mondai already gives me vocab to look up

@AWR

It seems to me that you need @RoseWagsBlue if you want a maths expert.

This is another part about communities I absolutely love. There always is someone who knows someone else Hope @RoseWagsBlue senpai will join us,

[NyappyTiramisu]

Ooh this is happening, I’m excited!

@Jonapedia

This might not really be the sort of maths you’re looking for, but another way of getting a look at mathematical vocabulary in Japanese would be to look for sites that discuss entrance examination preparation.

I’m a maths student, so this gets me excited. I’d love to get used to formulating proofs in Japanese but right now I have almost zero maths related vocabulary.

Regarding CS, I’m okay at programming but I have no theoretical knowledge. So I’d definitely be up for some beginner level CS stuff as well.

[Joeni]

@tls

@Joeni senpai: can you do the magic and transform it into a wiki?

I’m afraid that while regulars can make their own posts wikis, they can’t make those of others into one - if you take @\mods however, they can do it for you ^-^

[tls]

I see, didn’t know about that. I’ll ask them

[Joeni]

I didn’t either, because I tried for a good 30s before I realised, hehe.

[Naphthalene]

Well, I like reading Math textbooks in Japanese for fun, so I think I should keep an eye on this thread

[Period_Blood]

整数 means integer

[tls]

Are we talking about the spectrum of elements in ℤ?

If that’s the case both of you are on the same page, I think

[Naphthalene]

I don’t think so. I need to check, but I think whole numbers are the same as natural numbers (so N). 整数 is the same as Z
Example ref: Definition of Whole Number

Typing math on a phone is hard.

[tls]

I see. That would be different case indeed. English is not my mother-tongue therefore this already would be interesting term to clarify (at least for me).

In math class we destignuished between ℤ (whole number / integer) and ℕ ( natural number). According to wikipedia the first one is 整数 and the second one is 自然数.

But zero judgement or claiming from my side I literally just asked the internet…

[Naphthalene]

I can confirm that 整数 is ℤ. However, 自然数 is ℕ* (so ℕ without 0), although according to the wikipedia page that you also link, at the high school level and lower, that distinction isn’t really made.

@tls

English is not my mother-tongue therefore this already would be interesting term to clarify (at least for me).

On that note, the page you linked (whole number / integer) confirms that whole number are NOT the same as integers:

The set of integers consists of zero (0), the positive natural numbers (1, 2, 3, …), also called whole numbers or counting numbers,[2][3] and their additive inverses (the negative integers, i.e., −1, −2, −3, …).

[arlo]

Post is now a wiki (I assume I turned the correct post into a wiki )

[snow-pine]

It might be good to have a model entry of what you’re looking for in the wiki. I couldn’t tell what the “first occurrence” and “community agreement” columns should look like. I added the word for “set” to start off. I listed the first occurrence as “conversation” since I learned it from talking to someone.

By the way, if you type “しゅうごう” into the Japanese IME you can type a bunch of useful set symbols. (∀,∈,⊂,∧,∅ etc) which can be a really handy shortcut if you use them a lot.

[Jonapedia]

@Period_Blood

整数 means integer

Yup. ‘Integer’ and ‘whole number’ are synonyms in English. I chose ‘whole number’ because it’s closer to the Japanese term, which should make remembering the translation easier. Both translations are correct though.

[Naphthalene]

But… they are not though. At least not in the definition I learned.