[Linux-aus] Re: High school computing texts

[Paul Wayper]

Jon 'maddog' Hall wrote:
>> Perhaps an introduction to binary is good, but I haven't seen one
>> practical application of binary multiplication or (gasp) long binary
>> division, which I absolutely hate, nor can I understand.
>>     
>
> Then you would not be able to make the choice between adding a number to
> itself 1024 times, or simply shifting that number to the left 12 times.
>   
Shift left ten times = n * 1024, yes?  Or has the morning's bike ride
starved my brain of oxygen again?

On the topic, however, I think the fundamental thing is that binary math
_is_ interesting and important, but it's not perhaps as important as
learning a modern programming language or web design.  As with so many
things, we learn best when we can see a direct application of what we're
being taught to the problems we want to solve right now.  Introduce
binary math, boolean logic, numerical precision and representational
formats ("what do you mean I can't add 1 billion to one billionth and
still get a precise result?") when it suits the subject at hand, but
starting from a more applicable perspective is more likely to make those
students more interested in the esoterics.

I see these as being good 'research' questions.  Get the students to
write up a simple accounting program, for example, and then take the
brightest ones and as them things like "why do I get a negative number
when I add four billion dollars in your application" or "if you were
writing this over the wire to another application, what would be a good
format to send the number in?" and similar.  They're the more likely to
be interested in the esoterics, IMO...

Have fun,

Paul