News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Notes on Discrete Mathematics [pdf] by JoshGlazebrook on Saturday February 15, 2014 @07:08PM (#7246076)
I don't know what it is about discrete math, but I just absolutely hate it. I'm in the second discrete math class required by my university for their CS program and I feel like I'm just barely "getting it". Will give this a read through to see if it explains better than Rosen.
Re:Notes on Discrete Mathematics [pdf] by peterbotond on Saturday February 15, 2014 @07:37PM (#7246149)
Try the book, Concrete Mathematics by Graham, Knuth, Patashnik. I love this book, very entertaining and relaxing read.

edit: the book in the link looks just as good.

Re:Notes on Discrete Mathematics [pdf] by usagimaru on Saturday February 15, 2014 @07:29PM (#7246131)
My experience has been CS professors teach Discrete Math poorly.

Had to take a mostly equivalent class (Intro. to Abstract Math) for my Math degree as well, and the professor explained the same concepts clearer and everyone seemed to come out with a good understanding.

Re:Notes on Discrete Mathematics [pdf] by chris_wot on Sunday February 16, 2014 @08:26AM (#7247572)
I love Rosen! Assuming you are referring to Introduction to Discrete Mathematics, what is it you find unsatisfactory?
Re:Notes on Discrete Mathematics [pdf] by GFK_of_xmaspast on Saturday February 15, 2014 @07:16PM (#7246101)
Rosen's number theory book was pretty good, maybe it's just you? Shit takes a lot of work.
Re:Notes on Discrete Mathematics [pdf] by JadeNB on Sunday February 16, 2014 @09:12PM (#7250271)
> Rosen's number theory book was pretty good, maybe it's just you?

1. This is an awful thing to say.

2. The grandparent is probably referring to Rosen's Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications (http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073383090), not his number-theory book.

Re:Notes on Discrete Mathematics [pdf] by GFK_of_xmaspast on Monday February 17, 2014 @05:06PM (#7254827)
Students complain about perfectly fine texts all the time.
Re:Notes on Discrete Mathematics [pdf] by JadeNB on Monday February 17, 2014 @06:49PM (#7255312)
> Students complain about perfectly fine texts all the time.

That is true, but JoshGlazebrook didn't say "Rosen's book is terrible", but rather "Will give this a read through to see if it explains better than Rosen". It is certainly a fair thing for him to struggle personally with the explanations in a textbook, no matter how good it is; and turning this constructive comment into occasion for a personal attack / judgement is, I think, unnecessary and unconstructive. By contrast, chris_wot's comment downthread (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7247572), asking what is unsatisfactory, seems far more likely to generate productive discourse.

(For what it's worth, I am using Rosen this semester, and find it roughly middle of the road; I like it, but can understand that it might not be for everyone.)