I think any serious computer scientist should know at least the basics of mathematics that isn't squarely discrete, since after all, computers are often used to compute by approximation all kinds of continuous things. So there's no need for there to be an either/or kind of thing. (Quite a few items in Hakmem would make no sense to someone who's never had calculus.) --Dan On 2012-08-02, at 6:17 AM, Veit Elser wrote: << On Aug 1, 2012, at 11:16 PM, Ray Tayek wrote: << i think this stuff http://www.amazon.com/Concrete-Mathematics-Foundation-Computer-Science/dp/02... is way more important and useful than calculus. I agree. Not only is the content well chosen, it's extremely well written. An applied mathematician friend of mine at Harvard, who works mostly with differential equations, had this book on his desk when I visited. When I asked what a book on discrete math was doing in his office, he told me he was using it as a model for his own textbook writing effort.