Question

what is the importance of calculus in computer science?

Answer 1

http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/70851-how-important-is-calculus-for-comptuer-science/
http://www.reddit.com/r/compsci/comments/1xrake/why_is_calculus_so_emphasized_in_computer_science/
http://cstheory.stackexchange.com/questions/10685/application-of-calculus-in-computer-science

I mean google is good at times.

Answer 2

It depend on which language do you use but in most of the languages like c++ and java they require lot relational logic (<=,<,>=,==) especially when you are programming conditional statements. All in all actual Mathematics is the mother of all sciences, well know the child computer science you need to no her mother

Answer 3

Honestly, most programmers will not use calculus on a daily basis, if ever at all. Even in the domain of game programming or CAD software which require the use of 3d rendering libraries--heavily dependent upon vector calculus, most programmers will use APIs, lessening the need to fully understand vector caclulus. However, as programmers often have to write software to solve a particular problem and given that cacluus opens up an entire host of problems that can be solved through its application, it's considered fundamental for you to know it. The better universities require calculus to be taught to students majoring in geology, business, economics, biology, engineering, etc. for this reason. Even if you do not require calculus most of the time, the few times you do need it you will have the training to do so. When you consider that any technological breakthrough defining contemporary society was preceeded by the invention of calculus and by the understanding of physics that it quantified it's pathetic for a university trainied graduate to not have at least some training in calculus. How can someone call themself a scientist if they lack the quanitative ability to understand the last four hundred years of scientific achievement? That is why you need to learn calculus.

Anyway, if you really want to solve real problems, you'll take courses in differential equations and linear algebra as these in turn open up even more problems that come up in a wide variety of fields and are of immediate usefulness.