Software design.... (1 Viewer)

daniel4592

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Hey everyone,
Software design is really dragging down my overall marks, and I really need to get up to pace with it, but there are a few issues, there is only 2 months until the HSC and the biggest concern of all is that I have learnt nothing and Iam not joking, besides copyright and development approaches, theory wise nothing else firstly this class has had about 7 teachers no joke over this 2 years trip and each one has begun from the start which has been copyright, can someone please guide me in the right way in which I can learn the theory part of this subject in this short time, I understand its alot, but this class really dosent seem to have anything too dificult to grasp if you like computing, but I really suck at reading algorithms in particular which Is my main point of concern,,,
 

Dumbledore

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Bit hard to find summaried notes on SDD, probably best if u get the samuel davids textbook and scim over the intros of each topic, its a good book as it has all the syllabus points as headings and splits up into an intro + detail + example.

MAKE SURE U KNOW UR ALGORITHMS! algorithms are the only thing that are ALWAYS in every exam and are almost always the most marks in the exam, especially recently.
 

daniel4592

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Yes Ive seen that they are, which is why they are my main focus they seem to make up 60-70% of every HSC since 2001, could someone please give me some links or something on which I can learn algorithms....?
 

Dumbledore

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Usually the algorithm questions arn't that difficult as they have to cater for the entire candidature, usully it will come down to either:

Writing an algorithm:
The insertion of a piece of data in a sorted array in its right position
A variation or something similar of the standard sorts (i.e bubble, selection, insertion)

Analysis of an algorithm:
1. Locate the logic error, to handle this, ALWAYS deskcheck, if u deskcheck u will find the error, if u require test data in ur desk check, always test boundary values (values that are used in data structures i.e [if a<5 then] the boundary value will be 4 and 5.
2. explain the purpose of the algorithm, to handle this, it may seem obvious, but look at the variable names, they will nearly always give away what the algorithm is about, single letter variables are usually just counting variables used for loops
 

daniel4592

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Just wondering, would the Excel Software Design & Dev book be able to teach me?, or is that more or less one of them useless things that people just grab a trend of?
 

Drewx

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Just wondering, would the Excel Software Design & Dev book be able to teach me?, or is that more or less one of them useless things that people just grab a trend of?
I find the excel book goes over too much that you don't need to know and it's hard working out what is needed and what isn't. With that just go over your option topic and diagrams like system flowcharts, data flow charts and the rest. Also go over search and sort algorithms which I think will definitely be in the exam, I got caught out by a question on them in my trials.
 

daniel4592

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Im still amazed that I cant find any algorithm tutorials online... wth :S
 

youngminii

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That's 'cause SDD is a bullshit version of programming, no reason to learn it. The HSC really does suck.
 

Aquawhite

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That's 'cause SDD is a bullshit version of programming, no reason to learn it. The HSC really does suck.
Ehhh, tend to disagree. It's helpful for the math nerds that just want to go into programming because they have no social life and need to hide behind a computer screen to call themselves "digbick" ;) lol.

Math is enough to get you by.
 
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btw this thread is on the wrong forum, it should be on the Software Design and Development forum :)
 

youngminii

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Naw man, the only thing that's actually relevant to real programming/uni programming is the extension maths.
It's more like, SDD is a subject that the people that have been programming all their lives will breeze through and ace. But people that don't know anything about programming will struggle to get through it, and then the information will be useless in the future because it's so irrelevant.
But I guess that info doesn't help anyone doing SDD LOL
 

Uncle

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Naw man, the only thing that's actually relevant to real programming/uni programming is the extension maths.
It's more like, SDD is a subject that the people that have been programming all their lives will breeze through and ace. But people that don't know anything about programming will struggle to get through it, and then the information will be useless in the future because it's so irrelevant.
But I guess that info doesn't help anyone doing SDD LOL
It's either you have the ability to program or not.
i did this computing course where it uses only VB (lol visual basic, too fun and easy) and i hated it when i had to recall those circle properties to construct a program to calculate area of sectors, etc.
i didnt do SDD and i got a DN in that uni programming course dedicated for engineers.
lol.
 

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