IA126-3-FY-CO:
Mathematics for Computer Science

The details
2025/26
Essex Pathways
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Foundation/Year Zero: Level 3
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 26 June 2026
30
13 March 2025

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

BSC N325 Actuarial Science (Including Foundation Year),
BSC G620 Computer Games (Including Foundation Year),
BSC G403 Computer Science (Including Foundation Year),
BENGH750 Computer Systems Engineering (Including Foundation Year),
BSC LG18 Economics and Mathematics (Including Foundation Year),
BENGH61P Electronic Engineering (Including Foundation Year),
BSC GN18 Finance and Mathematics (Including Foundation Year),
BSC G104 Mathematics (Including Foundation Year),
BSC 9K18 Statistics (Including Foundation Year),
BSC G1G8 Mathematics with Computing (Including Foundation Year),
BSC G1F5 Mathematics with Physics (Including Foundation Year),
BENGHP41 Communications Engineering (Including Foundation Year),
BSC I1GF Data Science and Analytics (Including Foundation Year),
BENGH618 Robotic Engineering (Including Foundation Year),
BSC GH3P Computing and Electronics (Including Foundation Year),
BENGH733 Mechatronic Systems (Including Foundation Year),
BENGH172 Neural Engineering with Psychology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC I401 Artificial Intelligence (Including Foundation Year)

Module description

The module covers the mathematical skills needed to proceed to any degree course within Computer Science. The syllabus covers the mathematics of basic arithmetic, algebra and graphs, finite summations and series, converting between and using different number systems and differentiation. The associated work in classes and lab sessions develops the skills used to solve relevant problems, with classwork and online assignments being set and full solutions provided as part of the feedback process.

Module aims

The module aims are:

1. To ensure that students from a wide range of educational backgrounds have an understanding of core mathematical skills needed within the study of Computer Science.
2. To develop the ability to acquire knowledge and skills from lectures, classwork exercises, and mathematical software and application of theory to a range of weekly tasks.
3. To develop students' ability to use these skills in their subsequent degree course.
4. To equip students with the mathematical techniques needed to solve problems involving topics from the syllabus and to clearly structure their solutions and conclusions.
5. To give students the ability to display functions graphically and interpret graphs.
6. To give students an understanding of differentiation and how to use this to analyse graphs of functions.

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module a student is expected to be able to:


 



  1. Understand and use basic arithmetic and algebra.

  2. Understand different number systems (with a focus on binary and computer representations of numbers), and be able to work within different systems as well as convert between them.

  3. Plot basic graphs and understand shifts in graphs.

  4. Understand and use differentiation and partial differentiation to find the gradient of functions of one or two variables;

  5. Analyse functions by interpreting .esults from differentiation.

  6. Understand the syntax of propositional logic, draw truth tables and analyse logical statements, and work with Boolean algebra.

  7. Understand trigonometric functions and solve simple trigonometric equations.

  8. Systematically enumerate sets and lists of objects using combinatorial methods such as the multiplication rule, the overcounting principle, combinations and permutations.

  9. Understand matrices and vectors, and their relationship to geometry (in 2D).


 


Skills for your professional life (Transferrable Skills)


 


By the end of this module, you will have been offered opportunities:


 



  1. To improve your mathematical fluency, intuition and critical thinking skills in a broad range of both concrete and abstract contexts;

  2. To develop your fluency with mathematical computer syntax by working extensively with software such as Numbas;

  3. To improve your understanding of how mathematics and computer science overlap in the real world;

  4. To take responsibility for setting your own targets and managing your own time.

Module information

Syllabus


 


Basic arithmetic and algebra.


Number systems: Working in and converting between decimal, binary, octal, hexadecimal, and q-ary, systems. 


Graphical representation of functions, shifts in graphs and graphical solution of equations.


Calculus: differentiation of linear and polynomial functions, partial differentiation of functions of two variables, turning points, applications of differentiation


Basics of trigonometry


Basics of combinatorics, including combinations and permutations


Propositional logic, truth tables and Boolean algebra


Practical application of mathematics to computer science related problems.

Learning and teaching methods

Teaching and learning on Essex Pathways modules offers students the ability to develop the foundation knowledge, skills, and competences to study at undergraduate level, through a curriculum that is purposely designed to provide an exceptional learning experience. The module is delivered via a weekly 1 x 1-hour lecture, 1 x 2-hour class and 1 x 1-hour lab session. There are a total of 22 weeks of teaching, with two weeks of revision lectures and classes in the Summer Term. All lecture notes and exercises are placed on Moodle for easy student access. Listen Again is also used as part of learning support in which students can reviews the recordings at a later date.

Bibliography*

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   IA126 In-person, Open Book (restricted) Test 1 - 18/11/2024    42% 
Coursework   IA126 In-person, Open Book (restricted) Test 2 - 24/02/2025    50% 
Coursework   IA126 - Participation    8% 
Exam  Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 150 minutes during Summer (Main Period) 
Exam  Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 150 minutes during September (Reassessment Period) 

Additional coursework information

Formative assessment

Students engage in weekly worksheets, lab sessions and online assignments and receive in class feedback.
Summative assessment

One-hour in-person, open book (restricted) test 1 (25%), to be completed on Numbas via Moodle

The first test examines students’ understanding of mathematical concepts taught in the first six lectures of the course. These concepts include: prime factorisation, solving basic exercises involving arithmetic operations, solving basic exercises involving algebraic operations, solving systems of simultaneous linear equations, solving linear and quadratic equations, basic linear graphs concepts and solving worded questions.

Two-hour in-person, open book (restricted) test 2 (30%), to be completed on Numbas via Moodle

The second test examines students’ understanding of further mathematical concepts used in computer science. These concepts include: solving exercises and worded questions using calculus (differentiation of linear and polynomials functions, partial differentiation and gradients), basics of trigonometry and combinatorics, exercises involving operations in and conversion between different number bases. Emphasis is put on questions relating to computer science concepts.

Participation mark (5%)
Participation marks are awarded for completing mini online assignments during the lab sessions of the module. The assignments are based around the topics taught during the weekly lectures.

A 2.5-hour in-person, open book (restricted) exam (40%)
The exam consists of questions covering all the topics taught during the module and included in the syllabus. Emphasis is put on questions relating to computer science concepts.

Reassessment strategy

Failed exam - Resit the exam which is re-aggregated with existing coursework mark to create a new module mark.

Failed coursework - Resit the exam which counts as coursework and is then re-aggregated with the existing exam mark to create a new module mark.

Failed exam and coursework - Resit the exam which will count as 100% exam mark. The exam will cover all the learning outcomes.

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
60% 40%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
60% 40%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Billy Woods, email: billy.woods@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Billy Woods
Becky Humphreys - becky.humphreys@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
No
No
No

External examiner

Dr Austin Tomlinson
University of Birmingham
Lecturer
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 160.5 hours, 124 (77.3%) hours available to students:
32.5 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
4 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

 

Further information
Essex Pathways

* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.

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