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The Definitive Guide to How Computers Do Math : Featuring the Virtual DIY Calculator
The Basics of Computer Arithmetic Made Enjoyable and Accessible-with a Special Program Included for Hands-on Learning
"The combination of this book and its associated virtual computer is fantastic! Experience over the last fifty years has shown me that there's only one way to truly understand how computers work; and that is to learn one computer and its instruction set-no matter how simple or primitive-from the ground up. Once you fully comprehend how that simple computer functions, you can easily extrapolate to more complex machines."
-Fred Hudson, retired engineer/scientist
"This book-along with the virtual DIY Calculator-is an incredibly useful teaching and learning tool. The interesting trivia nuggets keep you turning the pages to see what's next. Students will have so much fun reading the text and performing the labs that they won't even realize they are learning."
-Michael Haghighi, Chairperson of the Business and Computer Information Systems Division, Calhoun Community College, Alabama
"At last, a book that presents an innovative approach to the teaching of computer architecture. Written with authority and verve, witty, superbly illustrated, and enhanced with many laboratory exercises, this book is a must for students and teachers alike."
-Dr. Albert Koelmans, Lecturer in Computer Engineering, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, and the 2003 recipient of the EASIT-Eng. Gold Award for Innovative Teaching in Computer Engineering
Packed with nuggets of information and tidbits of trivia, How Computers Do Math provides an incredibly fun and interesting introduction to the way in which computers perform their magic in general and math in particular. The accompanying CD-ROM contains a virtual computer/calculator called the DIY Calculator, and the book's step-by-step interactive laboratories guide you in the creation of a simple program to run on your DIY Calculator.
How Computers Do Math can be enjoyed by non-technical individuals; students of computer science, electronics engineering, and mathematics; and even practicing engineers. All of the illustrations and interactive laboratories featured in the book are provided on the CD-ROM for use by high school, college, and university educators as lecture notes and handouts. For online resources and more information please visit the author's website at .
"The combination of this book and its associated virtual computer is fantastic! Experience over the last fifty years has shown me that there's only one way to truly understand how computers work; and that is to learn one computer and its instruction set-no matter how simple or primitive-from the ground up. Once you fully comprehend how that simple computer functions, you can easily extrapolate to more complex machines."
-Fred Hudson, retired engineer/scientist
"This book-along with the virtual DIY Calculator-is an incredibly useful teaching and learning tool. The interesting trivia nuggets keep you turning the pages to see what's next. Students will have so much fun reading the text and performing the labs that they won't even realize they are learning."
-Michael Haghighi, Chairperson of the Business and Computer Information Systems Division, Calhoun Community College, Alabama
"At last, a book that presents an innovative approach to the teaching of computer architecture. Written with authority and verve, witty, superbly illustrated, and enhanced with many laboratory exercises, this book is a must for students and teachers alike."
-Dr. Albert Koelmans, Lecturer in Computer Engineering, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, and the 2003 recipient of the EASIT-Eng. Gold Award for Innovative Teaching in Computer Engineering
Packed with nuggets of information and tidbits of trivia, How Computers Do Math provides an incredibly fun and interesting introduction to the way in which computers perform their magic in general and math in particular. The accompanying CD-ROM contains a virtual computer/calculator called the DIY Calculator, and the book's step-by-step interactive laboratories guide you in the creation of a simple program to run on your DIY Calculator.
How Computers Do Math can be enjoyed by non-technical individuals; students of computer science, electronics engineering, and mathematics; and even practicing engineers. All of the illustrations and interactive laboratories featured in the book are provided on the CD-ROM for use by high school, college, and university educators as lecture notes and handouts. For online resources and more information please visit the author's website at .
- GenresComputersMathematics
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
2 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 6, 2020
Super cool insight to how machines process logic in a simple and easy to read educational book. If you really want to know how complex math and logic can be expressed in ones and zeros, you'll love this book. Great examples make this text very informative. A fascinating journey into binary logic.
May 6, 2012
The book teaches an assembly language for a virtual computer supplied with the book. The idea is that it's easiest to learn assembly on the simplest machine, and that knowledge can be easily extrapolated to more complex machines.
The virtual computer's user interface is that of a calculator (digits display and keys).
I think the idea itself is brilliant, and the book is written as plainly and as simply as possible. However, a few drawbacks prevent me from giving this book the full 5 stars:
1) The virtual computer and its assembly editor are a little buggy
2) After writing the basic arithmetic functions, the rest of the tasks grew tedious. I would've loved a pixel based display and a small game task. I just couldn't get hyped about implementing a semi functional arithmetic calculator.
The book is accompanied by an extensive PDF describing the inner working of the virtual computer's CPU. If you're interest in assembly is due to curiosity of how the computer's lowest levels operate, then this PDF should satisfy large chunks of it. Too bad it's not a part of the book, since reading PDF is a pain for me.
Finally, note that despite the childish cover and playful wording, the book is NOT for children. I would recommend it only for High school age people and above, and some may need guidance.
The virtual computer's user interface is that of a calculator (digits display and keys).
I think the idea itself is brilliant, and the book is written as plainly and as simply as possible. However, a few drawbacks prevent me from giving this book the full 5 stars:
1) The virtual computer and its assembly editor are a little buggy
2) After writing the basic arithmetic functions, the rest of the tasks grew tedious. I would've loved a pixel based display and a small game task. I just couldn't get hyped about implementing a semi functional arithmetic calculator.
The book is accompanied by an extensive PDF describing the inner working of the virtual computer's CPU. If you're interest in assembly is due to curiosity of how the computer's lowest levels operate, then this PDF should satisfy large chunks of it. Too bad it's not a part of the book, since reading PDF is a pain for me.
Finally, note that despite the childish cover and playful wording, the book is NOT for children. I would recommend it only for High school age people and above, and some may need guidance.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews