Comment Re:It really depends on what level... (Score 1) 609
Mod previous down, unescaped < killed a section :(
It really depends on what level you're at, and what you're aiming for, but I will say one thing however, if you are into programming do not separate the two - they can be done together to great effect.
Obviously this is only really for someone who can program, as that's the only viewpoint I have. Whilst I was young and had only just begun algebra I got into raytracing and similar computer graphics issues, and after a short time of reading what you will discover is that maths and computers graphics are integrally linked on so many levels.
To warm up, begin by programming the equivalent to a graphical calculator for 2D graphs - something that'll plot x^2 + y^2 < 5^2 (a sphere) or similar, and play around with simple Cartesian geometry (divide or multiply the x or y axis in the sphere's algorithm to stretch it etc). Then it's time to move on to the fun stuff, and where you really start to appreciate Cartesian geometry - a simple 3D raytracer.
Even the simplest 3D raytracer still means you have to learn and fully understand ray-sphere intersection (basically, whether or not a line intersects a sphere, and if so where) and that requires a respectable amount of math. By the end of it you may end up with something as simple looking as this but to see your math serve a purpose and come to life is really something.
By programming the math it actually forces you to understand what you're doing intimately, and whilst it can't necessarily replace the pen and paper in teaching it is certainly more interactive and more fun, and you'll never forget it =]
It really depends on what level you're at, and what you're aiming for, but I will say one thing however, if you are into programming do not separate the two - they can be done together to great effect.
Obviously this is only really for someone who can program, as that's the only viewpoint I have. Whilst I was young and had only just begun algebra I got into raytracing and similar computer graphics issues, and after a short time of reading what you will discover is that maths and computers graphics are integrally linked on so many levels.
To warm up, begin by programming the equivalent to a graphical calculator for 2D graphs - something that'll plot x^2 + y^2 < 5^2 (a sphere) or similar, and play around with simple Cartesian geometry (divide or multiply the x or y axis in the sphere's algorithm to stretch it etc). Then it's time to move on to the fun stuff, and where you really start to appreciate Cartesian geometry - a simple 3D raytracer.
Even the simplest 3D raytracer still means you have to learn and fully understand ray-sphere intersection (basically, whether or not a line intersects a sphere, and if so where) and that requires a respectable amount of math. By the end of it you may end up with something as simple looking as this but to see your math serve a purpose and come to life is really something.
By programming the math it actually forces you to understand what you're doing intimately, and whilst it can't necessarily replace the pen and paper in teaching it is certainly more interactive and more fun, and you'll never forget it =]
