Programming and Math

So I had an assignment for my math class to decode an affine cipher. This basically means taking each letter, converting it to a number, multiplying that number by a certain value, adding, and then converting back into a letter. I wrote a program to do this and enjoyed it, as opposed to hating the math of converting. I guess it's a good thing I'm a computer science major and not a math major.

Binary Tree Iterator

My last homework assignment was to create an iterator for a binary tree. I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to use a stack in order to remember where the iterator has gone. I finally figured it out. It was quite enjoyable. I implemented it so that it traverses the tree pre-rder. I may, in my free time, go back and add functionality so that it will run in-order and post-order.

Computer Networks

You may or may not know that I have had a difficult time getting the classes I want next quarter. Because of where I am in the curriculum, I am extremely limited in the computer science classes I can take. I am taking CSSE230, which is Fundamentals of Software Development III. The only other class I can take is Computer Networks. Of course this class was full before I could get in. I am also taking Probability and Statistics, a required math course, and a humanities elective. What else could I take? There really wasn't anything else, though I eventually worked my way into Linear Algebra, even though after last quarter I swore I would never take two math classes the same semester. I did however talk to the teacher of the Computer Networks class and he put me on the waiting list.

Yesterday I got an email from him saying a spot opened up and it was mine. I quickly marched down to the registrar's office and signed up. The only problem is that I now have 5 straight hours of class. That is from 10:50am-3:20pm. I would miss lunch entirely. Well I talked to a friend of mine who I knew was in the same class, but in the hour before and he decided it would work better for him to take it during the hour I was. So we are going to switch sections tomorrow.

I am excited I am taking networking instead of linear algebra. I'll have to see how much work it is along with CS230. I haven't had two CS classes the same quarter yet.

New Blog

I already have a blog, Philosophical Ranting of an Engineer is the current title. It is where I post how life is going, what I am thinking about, midnight philosophy (more like two am usually). It is good stuff. This will be different. This will be much more boring. This will be an account of what I am coding. It will include class assignments. It will include my own projects for fun. It will include random programming concepts I come across. In other words, if you are fascinated by coding, this might actually interest you.