This is a list of prerequisite concepts, i.e. concepts you should know prior to attending this class. It is by no means a complete list, but if you can't do these things, start studying them now before we get to them!
- Basic algebra.
- If you can't solve equations for one variable (in equations that have more than one variable), you are in serious trouble.
- If you can't add, subtract, multiply, divide, and simplify mathematical expressions (of variables in fraction form), you are in serious trouble.
- Basic probability and statistics
- Basically up to and including an understanding of the Binomial Distribution.
- If you don't know basic conversions of units, you need to get to known them quickly:
- Mb = mb = 1,000 bytes (I know that in old long since, we used 1 Mb = 1024, but do not do that in this class. It will make your life easier and we don't need the distraction)
- 1 Km = 1,000 meters
- 1 sec = 1,000 ms = 1,000,000 $$\mu s$$
- NOTE: I will always use the scientific (non-base 2) version of units. 1 kb = 1000 bytes and 1 mb = 1,000,000 bytes etc.
- Also be able to manipulate units with algebraic expressions. $$\frac{10,000~meters}{100,000,0000~\frac{meters}{seconds}} = 0.0001 seconds$$
- Convert to and from decimal to binary and/or hexadecimal. General understanding of binary (e.g. multiplying or dividing by 2 in binary is similar to multiplying or dividing by 10 in decimal)
- Not to insult your intelligence, but you must be able to write (and type) concise, complete, coherent English-language sentences.