SDD inquiry =) (1 Viewer)

[flyingdude]

hi guys

im currently in grade 10 (2002) and will be entering grade 11 next year.

being enthusiastic and inspired by the success of people in my school in their hsc marks

i am studying in advanced for the year ahead of me (its holidays)

so far i have gone through half of the prelim syllabus for physics, chem and maths

i would like to ask a few questions regarding the SDD course throughout the preliminary year.

1) is the course hard?
2) what computing languages are required / essential to learn for the next two years (i have already mastered vb to a suitable level - is that a good help for the sdd course?)
3) any good textbooks any of you guys can recommend?

thanks guys~

 

[del]

in response

1) It depends on the individual I guess and how well they understand the concepts. I guess most ppl get hung up on the algorithms rather the theory, but if u know the logic and control strcutures its fine. For me, SDD wasn't that hard, as I found it *alot* easier than 2U Maths (strangely enough)

2)The course doesn't require you know any particular langauge, though in Year 12 if you do the Evolution Of Programming Languages option, you will be required to distinguish between different paradigms based upon code fragements. Any language known is a starting point. VB is okay... look at other lans too if you have the time. For our major project we could code in whatever we wanted too, so that was good.

3) The book by Sam Davis - http://www.pedc.com.au/
That's the best book. Carole Wilson also has a book out by Cambridge Press, I've only looked properly at the option topic in it though. Old 3U books might be of use, as some of the things covered were in the old course.

 

[flyingdude]

thank you for your help~ much appreciated ^^

 

[Winston]

im starting yr 12 this yr
sdd for me well i guess was average algorthms screwed me up
i was a newbie in programming but i survived i did pretty good in the prelim but i do think that if u learn vb and know most of it youll survive pretty well
becoz

1) u wont be intimidated by the layout and syntax of everything

2) alogirthms become easier to understand once uno a language

3) once u come to ur major assignment u can make sumfing big and bloat it, without having to do last minute cramming of learning a language.. im not telling u to learn vb off by heart but maybe make small little apps and just enjoy it for fun and learn at the same time

 

[:: ck ::]

ohh cool cool ~~

haha if you use something like c# or delphi

would the school get suspicious how you obtained copies of the program haha =)

just curious because im learning delphi right now

might go on to experiment with c # but im in year 11 for 2003 so i have plenty of time

 

[sunny]

You should check with the teachers what language they are actually using rather than going to learn the ones you want.

Sometimes to standardise the marking across the class, the teacher might specify that everyone has to use the same language, and its not much use if you went to learn C# when they're only going to mark VB.

 

[:: ck ::]

ohh ok thanks ~

wont hurt to study it
i hear in my school they alow you to use any language (even javascipt and php how cool)

so i guess it is beneficial ~

anyone here know any bookshops selling *school* textbooks

not shops like dymocks etc... they dont have certain school textbooks~ if u know what i mean

 

[anti]

Try Gleebooks ( http://www.gleebooks.com.au/ ) or the Co-Op bookshop ( http://www.coop-bookshop.com.au/ ), they tend to stock more obscure books.

The prelim course is just a lot of trawling. It's heavy read-and-remember stuff, IIRC. I didn't pay attention, you see.

 

[:: ck ::]

thanks a lot ~

much appreciated-

hmm okies perhaps buying textbooks and readin them up in holiday will do some good ~

 

[InfiniteQ]

Originally posted by :: ryan.cck ::
thanks a lot ~

much appreciated-

hmm okies perhaps buying textbooks and readin them up in holiday will do some good ~

Prelim SDD is crap ... don't fret
You'll breeze through it honestly. Enjoy your hols... I can't!

 

[:: ck ::]

haha well looking at the content that is in it

just looks like u have to remember lots of bullcrap like ethical issues

and just understand algorithms ~

 

[InfiniteQ]

Originally posted by :: ryan.cck ::
haha well looking at the content that is in it

just looks like u have to remember lots of bullcrap like ethical issues

and just understand algorithms ~

Yep ... haha the ergonomics is pretty lame

 

[:: ck ::]

haha we went thru it in year 10

sounded like they ran out of things to shove into the course lol

 

[InfiniteQ]

Originally posted by :: ryan.cck ::
haha we went thru it in year 10

sounded like they ran out of things to shove into the course lol

yeh I like it though... it's different to all my other subjects.

 

[:: ck ::]

i guess ~

also very enjoyable course if your fond of computers

 

[marsesbars]

1) Hmm.. not sure if skill in 2U maths has much to do with success in SDD, they seem like very different subjects to me. What skills can you take from 2U that you can apply to SDD? Ah, the algorithms, yes, there's some (not much) mathematical algorithms.

When I did the HSC SDD exam I thought there was a fair bit of BS'ing involved. I'm talking about problems on Social and Ethical issues and involving the users. Questions on those seemed to me to be "make up as much stuff as you can, on the spot, and make it sound like you've thought it out well." You wouldn't learn this skill from 2U maths. But the HSC questions on algorithms were fine.

2) Pseudocode is the only language you need to learn! Practice implementing all the concepts Bon mentioned - like arrays, if/else statements and string manipulation (a popular question in trials) - in pseudocode. You'll need it for the HSC exam.

3) Heinneman is not worth buying, but borrow it from a library if you can. Some parts are decent, Some parts are plain wrong! (like its explanation of polymorphism for the Evolution of Languages option) But i think it's worth borrowing to get a new perspective on the SDD theory.

 

[tt_j65]

Originally posted by Bon


2) As del said, no languages are required, you need to know the concepts. if, if/else, while, for, case where, file i/o, arrays, functions & modules - the difference between them.

you serial!?!?!?


GAY PASCAL

 

[:: ck ::]

"you serial" ?

hehe i think the word is "serious"

by the way is c++ hard to learn ?

 

[InfiniteQ]

Originally posted by :: ryan.cck ::
"you serial" ?

hehe i think the word is "serious"

by the way is c++ hard to learn ?

The "serial" was a deliberate act luv.

 

[:: ck ::]

aww crikey u serious
thanks luv