> And, J [in isolation] often doesn't solve anything interesting. The following could be considered interesting for suitable definitions of interesting:
http://code.jsoftware.com/wiki/Essays/Kakuro http://code.jsoftware.com/wiki/Essays/KenKen http://code.jsoftware.com/wiki/Essays/Krypto http://code.jsoftware.com/wiki/Essays/moo http://code.jsoftware.com/wiki/Essays/Nurikabe http://code.jsoftware.com/wiki/Essays/Set_Game http://code.jsoftware.com/wiki/Essays/Sudoku On Sat, Nov 3, 2018 at 11:01 AM Raul Miller <[email protected]> wrote: > "J is too rich for beginners" is not really the case, in my experience. > > Preschoolers can pick up a bit of J without problem. They'll get bored > easily, but that whole motivation side of education hits you on every > topic. > > The problem is more that most of us don't have anything useful to teach. > > And, J [in isolation] often doesn't solve anything interesting. It's > only when you combine it with other topics that it can become useful. > > Thanks, > > -- > Raul > > On Sat, Nov 3, 2018 at 5:31 AM 'Bo Jacoby' via Chat <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > Regarding matematical notation. > > J is too rich for beginners. > > We first learn addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Later > we use the minus sign for negative numbers, like -2. Then we do not need > subtraction any more. The difference is written 7+-2, This was not taught > in school. > > Calculations are easier when avoiding subtraction: > > (a+-b)^2 = (a+-b)(a+-b) = aa+a-b+-ba+-b-b = a^2+b^2-2ab. > > Note that a-b is now the product (a)(-)(b) = -ab. You should normally > write -ab rather than a-b in order not to confuse your reader. The > difference is written a+-b. > > Of course (-)=-1, or simply -=-1. > > Then we learned about exponentiation. a^b. > > The power a^- is the reciprocal to a. Formulas need no more contain > fraction bars. We may forget about division. > > The power 2^- is one half, and a^2^- is the square root. Formulas > need no more contain root signs. > > Multiplication signs are usually omitted, but 23 means twenty three > rather than two times three. Write the product 2^1 3^1 to avoid > confusion. Then the multiplication sign is no longer needed. > > These simplifications make elementary formulas nicer. > > In J you need not use the division and reciprocal sign (%), the square > root sign (%:), the subtraction (-), > > /Bo > > > > > > > > > > > > Den lørdag den 3. november 2018 08.02.42 CET skrev 'robert > therriault' via Chat <[email protected]>: > > > > Mark Guzdial, a computer education researcher mentioned the Computer > and Mathematical Notation paper http://www.jsoftware.com/papers/camn.htm > in his blog > https://computinged.wordpress.com/2018/11/02/fixing-mathematical-notation-with-computing-and-proving-it-with-education/ > > > > Further he cited it as an example where success in changing mathematical > notation is measured by using the notation as a better way to educate > students and notes the books that Ken wrote using J to teach mathematics. I > have been surprised that more have not picked up this very important aspect > of J. > > > > Neat to see this turn up in the educational component of computer > science. > > > > Cheers, bob > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
