[Edu-sig] explaining functions [Possibly OT]

[Nicholas Wheeler]

Isn't a math function the same as a computer-science function? You
give the math function an x, and it returns a y. ie: f(x) = 2*(4x)^x
-or- def f(x): print 2*((4*x)**x). Most people should be able to grasp
that, if they've been through highschool algebra.


On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 12:52:00 -0500, Kent Johnson <kent37 at tds.net> wrote:
> Michael Dawson's "Python Programming for the absolute beginner" has a cute analogy. He say, a
> function is like a pizza joint. You call it and give it your parameters (what kind of pizza you
> want) and it returns a pizza.
> 
> :-)
> Kent
> 
> 
> 
> Brian van den Broek wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > This might be a bit tangential to the topic; if so, my apologies. (I've
> > been reading this list for a while, but have never posted before.)
> >
> > I'm a Python hobbyist, and am not involved in CS education, except
> > peripherally. I am also a grad student in Philosophy who has, for a few
> > years now, been teaching Introduction to Formal Logic to audiences
> > largely composed of Philosophy and Linguistics undergrads with a small
> > contingent of Computer Science undergraduates, too.
> >
> > I have found it difficult to get some of the humanities undergraduates
> > to see the understand the general mathematical concept of a function.
> > Occasionally, even some of the CS students (who, when I see them, have
> > just begun) stumble with the concept, too.
> >
> > The best I have managed to come up with is to tell them that a function
> > is like a 'black box' to which you feed some ordered input of the
> > appropriate sort, and it gives you an output determined entirely by that
> > input.
> >
> > I have found that, at least for the humanities students, getting them to
> > understand some of the material is largely a matter of finding a useful
> > metaphor (and, convincing them that the metaphor is an aid, not the
> > thing in itself). That's been the only way to get the ones bothered by
> > the mathematician's use of "if ... then ..." to accept it. (They don't
> > like that "If 2 + 2 = 97 then I am King of the moon" and "If grass is
> > green then sky is blue" are taken to be true.)
> >
> > So, I am wondering if others on the list have had difficulty getting
> > students (particularly students not primarily studying Math or CS) to
> > get the idea of a function? If so, I'd be very interested in what
> > techniques were of use.
> >
> > Thanks, and I do apologize if this query is received as too peripherally
> > related to the topic of the list. Best to all,
> >
> > Brian vdB
> >
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-- 
Nicholas Wheeler
Systems Administrator
Development InfoStructure