Assignment 1 Reactions

Finally, my first post; and just in time. I just returned home from school after finishing and submitting the first assignment for this course. After struggling with the formal write -up of question 2, both my partner and I agree that it is is lot more confusing than we had anticipated. We found an algorithm for the menus and we knew what we had to do to prove that it works. The difficult part was transforming our ideas into a proof that is mathematically sound and that makes sense the first time it's read. I'll admit we would have had an easier time if we had just proved our findings in plain English. Personally, I kind of prefer to use mathematical language and symbols within proofs whenever I can. I don't know. I guess first year Calculus has sort of brainwashed me. At least no one can say I didn't learn anything.

Speaking of learning, Danny explained to me a way in which I can combine English with mathematical language to help explain difficult concepts or operations in proofs. Basically, you just create your own symbols. For instance, in question 2, my partner and I needed to write a set in reverse with a new element added to each of it's existing elements. This is an operation for which there is no notation. So, under the permission of Danny, we made our own notation. We just created an operation, A for instance, and explained what it does in English. Once established we were free to use the operation like we would use any other mathematical symbols. Problem solved. I don't know how we would have finished the write-up of this proof without this technique. This is definitely something I'm going to want to use again.