Studying sucks
I don't know why I'm so calm. I've got an exam tomorrow, an exam Friday, I'm a fucking mess physically and mentally, my mind refuses to shut up, and despite all that, I'm perfectly calm. Sitting here eating some nasty Michellina's (sp?) microwave meatloaf and gravy, and having a mug of hot water. Study sucks. It really does, but it's a necessary evil that has to be done. I sometimes don't even know why I bother trying to study, I can't remember anything anyways. I could study all day, and not get anywhere. I mean, I understsand the general principle of how to do everything and the concepts behind it, but asking me to remember specifics is usually a lost cause.
Algorithm analysis is so much fun. Really. It's something I would gladly stab if only so that I would never have to do it ever again. Well, ok, in fairness, that would probably have to be rip out my eyes or something, but that's boring and unoriginal too, so lets not. Analyzing worst case, average case and best case scenarios? Argh. I can't stand doing this math, it's so stupid and nonsensical all at the same time. It's more trying to memorize these formulas, which, as you all know, I can't do. I can derive something if need be, but that takes a long time. Fortunately, we get 3 hours. Of course, by that same token, the exam is only 37 marks which has me worried.
Been studying these algorithm analysis and definitions. So much of it to do. Then there's calculus when I'm done with this stuff and that's not going to be a walk in the park either. Fortunately, we do get a formula sheet for calc, but still. Not going to be fun in the least bit. I know i should eat more, but what do you do when eating makes you want to throw up? When being sick is just about all that you seem to be able to do? They think it's psychological, we'll see after the ultrasound comes back in January.
Have I ever mentioned how much I hate studying? I can't remember anything, I know the general basis of how everything works, but I can't for the life of me remember specifics. Ah well, time to derive everything and make it all up? I don't know, I'll figure out what to do. After I finish rereading over all these notes on 305, gonna get to work on calc I think, gotta review 2 chapters worth of material and make a formula sheet, fun. Hey, atleast we even get a formula sheet, there ain't a chance in hell I'm going to be able to remember everything we learned.
Maybe I'll have some time to be able to take to myself today, I doubt it. People are probably going to be too busy to help me take my mind off things anyways. I'm sure that I'll end up writing something in my notebook, maybe finish this song. Yeah, that's what I'll probably do. No, you can't see a tidbit of it yet, not until I'm done. I just started using the notebook yesterday, and I already have almost 10 pages used up, I swear, I write too much sometimes. Like right now, I'm just rambling and going on and on, writing down whatever comes to mind. I suppose this is kinda like me taking a break though, to be able to not focus on the material at hand and be able to just do other things for a short bit. Can't keep it up forever can I? Well, maybe I can, but I think my hand would get tired from all the writing after a while.
Lets see what we have for proofs:
Sequential Search - compare the target to every entry starting from the first entry. For calculating average number of comparisons in a successful case, lets say that there are n entries, and the sum of all the searches is 1+2+3+4+...+(n-1)+n. So you're left with Sigma[i=1..n] i/n which gives you ((1/2)(n)(n+1))/n=(1/2)(n+1), yay, I'm not all bad.
Insertion Sort - sorts by putting the first entry at the top, then takes the next entry, compares it to the prevoius entry and sorts it, then takes the next entry in the list, and compares to all the previous entries, etc... best case scenario is that the list is in order, worst case scenario is if the list is in reverse order, average case, I'd have to work out, but I think I know how.
Selection Sort - sorts in the reverse order that insertion sort does. It starts from the largest instead of the smallest and works upwards, make more efficient.
Quicksorting - pick a pivot, divide the list into everything greater and everything smaller than the pivot, now your pivot position is set. Then take the upper list and repeat, then take the lower list and repeat. Then do the same with those sublists over and over again. I don't understand the algorithm analysis for this one, but it's ok. Best case and average case I believe are the same, worst case is when the list does NOT get partitioned into 2 lists, but the pivot creates 1 full list and 1 empty list. At this point, quick sort is no better than selection sort.
Average Number of Probes - Oh Hashing, how I hate thee. Enough said.
Ok, so I'm not ccompletely stupid. I can do 4 out of the 5 proofs, so that's good for what? maybe 4-6 marks? Assuming she doesn't give the hashing one? Coding is 3 marks, I'll probably get 1 or 2. So that means I have to do really well in the theory. Hopefully I can.
Calculus of course is an entirely different matter, way too much to know for that. We'll see how things work out with that. Ah well, I'm understanding this 305 stuff better so I'll probably start work on calc in a bit, just after I take a short break. I'm going to finish this song at some point today, but for now, I'm going to become a vegetable for a minute. No one in their right frame of mind would want to talk to me anyways. What do I have to say that's of any use or importance to anyone? Hrm. Maybe, I will go work on this song afterall....
~Damon
Algorithm analysis is so much fun. Really. It's something I would gladly stab if only so that I would never have to do it ever again. Well, ok, in fairness, that would probably have to be rip out my eyes or something, but that's boring and unoriginal too, so lets not. Analyzing worst case, average case and best case scenarios? Argh. I can't stand doing this math, it's so stupid and nonsensical all at the same time. It's more trying to memorize these formulas, which, as you all know, I can't do. I can derive something if need be, but that takes a long time. Fortunately, we get 3 hours. Of course, by that same token, the exam is only 37 marks which has me worried.
Been studying these algorithm analysis and definitions. So much of it to do. Then there's calculus when I'm done with this stuff and that's not going to be a walk in the park either. Fortunately, we do get a formula sheet for calc, but still. Not going to be fun in the least bit. I know i should eat more, but what do you do when eating makes you want to throw up? When being sick is just about all that you seem to be able to do? They think it's psychological, we'll see after the ultrasound comes back in January.
Have I ever mentioned how much I hate studying? I can't remember anything, I know the general basis of how everything works, but I can't for the life of me remember specifics. Ah well, time to derive everything and make it all up? I don't know, I'll figure out what to do. After I finish rereading over all these notes on 305, gonna get to work on calc I think, gotta review 2 chapters worth of material and make a formula sheet, fun. Hey, atleast we even get a formula sheet, there ain't a chance in hell I'm going to be able to remember everything we learned.
Maybe I'll have some time to be able to take to myself today, I doubt it. People are probably going to be too busy to help me take my mind off things anyways. I'm sure that I'll end up writing something in my notebook, maybe finish this song. Yeah, that's what I'll probably do. No, you can't see a tidbit of it yet, not until I'm done. I just started using the notebook yesterday, and I already have almost 10 pages used up, I swear, I write too much sometimes. Like right now, I'm just rambling and going on and on, writing down whatever comes to mind. I suppose this is kinda like me taking a break though, to be able to not focus on the material at hand and be able to just do other things for a short bit. Can't keep it up forever can I? Well, maybe I can, but I think my hand would get tired from all the writing after a while.
Lets see what we have for proofs:
Sequential Search - compare the target to every entry starting from the first entry. For calculating average number of comparisons in a successful case, lets say that there are n entries, and the sum of all the searches is 1+2+3+4+...+(n-1)+n. So you're left with Sigma[i=1..n] i/n which gives you ((1/2)(n)(n+1))/n=(1/2)(n+1), yay, I'm not all bad.
Insertion Sort - sorts by putting the first entry at the top, then takes the next entry, compares it to the prevoius entry and sorts it, then takes the next entry in the list, and compares to all the previous entries, etc... best case scenario is that the list is in order, worst case scenario is if the list is in reverse order, average case, I'd have to work out, but I think I know how.
Selection Sort - sorts in the reverse order that insertion sort does. It starts from the largest instead of the smallest and works upwards, make more efficient.
Quicksorting - pick a pivot, divide the list into everything greater and everything smaller than the pivot, now your pivot position is set. Then take the upper list and repeat, then take the lower list and repeat. Then do the same with those sublists over and over again. I don't understand the algorithm analysis for this one, but it's ok. Best case and average case I believe are the same, worst case is when the list does NOT get partitioned into 2 lists, but the pivot creates 1 full list and 1 empty list. At this point, quick sort is no better than selection sort.
Average Number of Probes - Oh Hashing, how I hate thee. Enough said.
Ok, so I'm not ccompletely stupid. I can do 4 out of the 5 proofs, so that's good for what? maybe 4-6 marks? Assuming she doesn't give the hashing one? Coding is 3 marks, I'll probably get 1 or 2. So that means I have to do really well in the theory. Hopefully I can.
Calculus of course is an entirely different matter, way too much to know for that. We'll see how things work out with that. Ah well, I'm understanding this 305 stuff better so I'll probably start work on calc in a bit, just after I take a short break. I'm going to finish this song at some point today, but for now, I'm going to become a vegetable for a minute. No one in their right frame of mind would want to talk to me anyways. What do I have to say that's of any use or importance to anyone? Hrm. Maybe, I will go work on this song afterall....
~Damon
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