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Computer Science 2

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9 views

Computer Science 2

Uploaded by

biwev76038
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DISCLAIMER

UCAS operates similarity detection software which analyses personal statements


against all those which have previously been submitted. Plagiarising your
personal statement will result in your universities being informed, who can then
decide to reject your application or withdraw an offer.

Statement Info
User: brmbrmcar#1057
Courses: Computer Science
Universities:
● University of Oxford (offer) (firm)
● Durham University (offer) (insurance)
● University of Exeter (offer)
● Loughborough University (offer)
● University of Bristol (rejection)
Note: The personal statement is only one part of your application. Some universities will
care about it more than others. Having a personal statement of similar or better quality
to this one does not guarantee you will get into the same universities as the user.

My interest in Computer Science comes from both its problem solving and the great
arguments that surround its study. Even a simple issue such as whether for-loops are
necessary or should be taught to beginners can spark long debate, with my argument
being that it is simply hiding away code some programmers might want control over
whilst making minimal improvement to readability and compilation speed. Another good
discussion is the suitability of floating point numbers in high-level programming
languages. Whilst they are very fast, and precise enough for most everyday
calculations, modern computers at the high-level do not require such storage efficiency
and the lack of precise representation of certain fractions is just unacceptable in many
cases. So could using a ratio of two integers be a good replacement? Is it fast enough
for irrational calculations? And what about complex numbers? Should they be
implemented natively, or would this confuse perhaps newer programmers? Do the
potential dangers of returning imaginary numbers outweigh the benefits of being able to
use them?
To satisfy my interest in mathematics, outside of lessons I learned some additional
Further Mathematics options. One of the topics studied was Taylor Series, which can be
used to compute irrational functions, but only when they are manipulated such that the
input is in the correct range. I also learned about the Euclidean Algorithm, which can be
used to simplify fractions. As soon as school closed in March, I started learning the rest
of my Mathematics course ahead of time, and had covered all the content within a few
months. From this, I learned about Newton's Method and when it is convergent, which is
an incredibly fast method for solving equations numerically. In AS Further Mathematics,
I also studied matrices, which I found fascinating especially when programming them
and applying Taylor series to find their trigonometric functions. Studying Physics has
given me an opportunity to apply this mathematics in different ways, such as using
calculus to derive new equations and testing these with the use of physical experiments.
In my free time, I often find myself working on very small programs, such as a function
to store a specific arrangement of cards as efficiently as possible, which I solved by
thinking of a factorial base system. I have also made larger projects, such as a chat bot
with over 100 mostly unique functions which gave me experience in working with
asynchronous functions and user interfaces. More recently I made a number library to
determine whether it is indeed feasible to store them as ratios of integers, which used
my knowledge of complex numbers and numerical methods to get an efficient result
using functions manipulated such that its series will converge for any valid input. For
rational functions it was very fast, despite being implemented on top of a high-level
language. But for transcendental functions it was significantly slower, and my attempts
at a gamma function and applying the library to matrices were almost unusable, so
unfortunately I had to conclude that it was not a good replacement. However, I also
think limiting a number system to reals has little justification, with extremely fast
implementation now possible. A floating point system returning division by 0 as 'Infinity',
or even an addition inaccuracy, is far more dangerous than returning a complex number
when unwanted. Separate functions for nth roots can be implemented to prevent issues
such as the cube root of -1 being returned as a complex number.
I love debating political and social issues and attend school debates weekly, and
considering difficult moral issues has helped me improve my problem solving skills. I
have also been learning Swedish in my free time every day for well over a year,
showing my passion for and determination in learning. I welcome the challenges offered
by a Computer Science degree.

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