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Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death

Posted by Henry 
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Henry
Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 11:56AM
This module sucks man!

I still do not know what to expect here. The assignments are marked really stupid since you get full marks if you made a decent attempt to answer the question. Won't happen in the exam though.

So I am not sure if I understand the work and where I stand with respect to being able to pass the exam.

Anyone who passed COS101 have any advice?
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Anonymous User
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 12:06PM
I enjoyed this module but I did it 2 years ago so I'm a bit rusty. Which parts are you strugling with? I found that those CDs they sell are very helpful cause it provides visual aid that made it very easy to understand relations and stuff like that.
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Anonymous User
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 12:24PM
Just divide that module up into skill sets. Practice each set of skills. Oh ja, and try to understand that Russian they serve up as theory.
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malcolm
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 12:25PM
Is the textbook still that terrible one with the typewriter font? sad smiley

--
"Knowledge has much better uses than self-pity and superiority"
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Anonymous User
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 12:47PM
I did this in 1999, so not even sure if its the same thing. And if it was, I couldn't help you at all... those brain cells have died long ago already sad smiley
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Henry
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 01:29PM
Still all the same sh...stuff.

I think I understand most of it, the problem comes in the way you present your answers. I do not know if it is correct since the assignments are not really "marked".

Notation is also an issue. In one assignment a used the mPn notation for a permutation as used by all textbooks known to man. They want it as P(m,n) as only Labuscagne does it. It really irks me.

It is time they retire this excuse of a textbook.
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Anonymous User
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 01:41PM
The best way to grasp those textbook idiosyncrasies is to practice examples from them and compare those to given solutions. Then you will become a Labuschagne zombie like the rest of us. Mwahahahaha.
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Dumzaz
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 02:16PM
Also, it was mentioned at the recent group workshop that a new book will be used next year. The lecturer could not confirm which of the ff two it will be, but it may be well worth it to have a look at one or both of them.

/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ENSLEY E.E. & CRAWLEY J.W.C. DISCRETE MATHEMATICS Mathematical Reasoning and Proof with Puzzles, Patterns, and Games. John Wiley & Sons, The Atrium, Soutern Gate Chichester, West

Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK. 2006. ISBN 0-471-47602-1
SIMPSON A. DISCRETE MATHEMATICS BY EXAMPLE McGraw-Hill Education, Shoppenhangers
Road, Maidenhead, SL6 2QL, UK. 2002. ISBN 0-07-709840-4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
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37383523
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 04:01PM
I just went thru the assignments, past paper and I did ok last year (80%). The paper will be similar to the mock they send you.
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Tasha
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 04:18PM
I did it in 1991 and it was exciting. But then again everything is exciting at 21. The secret is to comply. Dont think beyond the boundaries.Forget you Pure & stats Maths from high school. Dont read any other book. Mimick , conform and get a cool mark over 90.
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stevenv
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 06:16PM
Also did it quite a few years ago but I also think there was software that either came with the module material or could be ordered from the 101 tutorial letter but either way, that really helped alot.
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AndreB
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 12, 2007 06:55PM
I did this module last year - Steven is quite right, it came with software (ordered from 101).
The exam wasn't too bad. Going through the assignments helped quite a lot. I do remember it being quite frustrating though.
The assignment solutions help quite a bit. If I remeber correctly, the lecturers include 1 or 2 extra examples in these.
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Henry
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 13, 2007 08:25AM
Yep.

I am not one who does what I am being told to do. I always ask why! That is why I question this module and the way they do some stuff. Probably my downfall too.

I have used some other materials as reference and it frustrates me when Labuschagne does it different.
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RiaanR
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 13, 2007 08:26AM
Yip, Get the CAI CD. It helps.
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Anonymous User
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 13, 2007 09:32AM
wow, then things have changed, back in the last centuary there was no software for the module. Or at least none that I can recall
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Henry
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 13, 2007 09:52AM
Can one get this CD downloaded on the internet from UNISA? Ordering the CD now will prolly be a tad late, me thinks.
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Anonymous User
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 13, 2007 10:26AM
you probably have to pay for it...
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Henry
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 13, 2007 12:57PM
sad smiley Capitalists!
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Anonymous User
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 13, 2007 01:08PM
Not so! I know that you can get mahala for free at Unisa, Henry
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Anonymous User
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 13, 2007 02:16PM
get free for free?
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Henry
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 14, 2007 11:15AM
Haha!

I think it is too late now to order the CD in time for the exams! Serves me right for thinking I am too clever.

I have however got Discrete Mathematical Structures by Kolman, Busby and Ross and their handling of relations are quite OK, although maybe a bit more detailed than required. They also have a nice section on how to tackle proofs.
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rklopper
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 14, 2007 11:41AM
you even have to pay for the snacks at graduation sad smiley
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Anonymous User
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 14, 2007 12:43PM
serious? I didn't eat snacks at graduation, so I don't know..
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Sanoz0r
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 15, 2007 12:36AM
I did this module last year. It started horribly, but it soon started clicking. This ended up being my favourite module!!

And to be quite honest, I really enjoyed Labuschagne's style of writing. He has a clever way of teaching... and you have to admit, his querky remarks gotto make you laugh at times (esspecially considering the contrast of the situation ;p)
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34572457
Re: Help! COS101 Scares Me To Death
September 15, 2007 10:59AM
I also enjoyed this module as well as the book. It was written interestingly different... and funny. The cd from unisa on relations is also very good and looks at relations slightly differently to the book so it gives another perspective which really helps. Think I got 79% last year.

You really need to understand this stuff as year 2 modules actually rely on it. eg COS261, also to a lesser degree COS201 where you need to think in terms of sets.
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