Mathematics for Software Engineering

Code

IT-MSE1

Version

5.0

Offered by

ICT Engineering

ECTS

Prerequisites

The course requires mathematics corresponding to the admission requirements for the Software Engineering Programme.

Main purpose

The purpose of the course is to provide students with the fundamental mathematical knowledge and analytical skills required for technical IT tasks, specifically within software engineering. The course supports the competency profile of the Software Engineering programme by enabling students to:

- Analyse and abstract mathematical problems relevant to software engineering.
- Communicate knowledge clearly and precisely.
- Formalize statements logically and computationally.
- Develop analytical problem-solving skills applicable to software development contexts.

After completing the course, students will have a strong foundational understanding of essential mathematical concepts, as well as enhanced analytical capabilities directly applicable to software engineering tasks.

Knowledge

Upon completion, students will have knowledge of:
- Fundamental arithmetic operations, numerical representations, and conversions between decimal, binary, and hexadecimal number systems.
- Basic set theory and its application in structuring data and logical relations.
- Core principles of probability theory and descriptive statistics relevant to software engineering tasks.
- Linear algebra concepts including vectors, matrices, linear equations and matrix algebra
- Basic principles of differentiation and gradients relevant to optimization and computational problems.

Skills

Upon completion, students will be skilled in:
- Converting between numerical systems (binary, hexadecimal, decimal) for computational tasks.
- Applying set theory in structuring logical and computational problems.
- Calculating probabilities and interpreting descriptive statistics to analyze data distributions relevant in software contexts.
- Solving linear equations, manipulating vectors and matrices, and applying linear algebra techniques to computational tasks.
- Differentiating simple functions and calculating gradients to support optimization in software engineering.

Competences

Upon completion, students will be competent in:
- Identifying, formulating, and solving mathematical problems relevant to software engineering analytically and systematically.
- Utilizing mathematical and statistical techniques to analyze data and support decision-making in software development.
- Integrating mathematical methods into software engineering processes, enabling effective collaboration on complex, real-world IT projects.

Topics

Teaching methods and study activities

The course duration is 12 weeks. The total workload for the student is estimated at 130 hours. The teaching method is classroom instruction with theory review combined with problem-solving. It is expected that the student will read the assigned literature and solve problems between the theoretic lessons and in the tutorial sessions.

Resources

All material will be made available to the student.

Evaluation

Examination

Exam prerequisites:

1. Attendance (≥ 75%)

If the exam prerequisites are not met, the student must complete a written assignment in WISEflow to qualify for the re-exam.
This assignment will be scheduled after the ordinary exam.

Type of exam:
The exam is written and consists of two parts:

- Part 1: A Flowlock exam in WISEflow.

- Part 2: A WISEflow exam without Flowlock.

The total duration of the exam is 4 hours.
Part 2 will only be accessible once Part 1 has been completed and
submitted.
Part 1 counts for 75% of the final grade, while Part 2 counts for 25%.
Internal assessment.

Tools allowed:
In Part 1, students are allowed to use any notes, books, and other written or printed materials. Students may also access PDF files stored locally on their laptop and use a personal calculator. Internet access is not permitted, and the exam is conducted in Flowlock mode.

In Part 2, all supplementary aids are allowed, including the use of a computer for calculations. However, internet access is strictly prohibited, and the use of AI tools such as CoPilot, ChatGPT, Bing, Gemini, or similar services is not allowed.

Any form of communication during the exam is strictly forbidden and will result in the expulsion of all involved parties from the exam.

Re-exam:
Please note that re-exams may be oral.

Grading criteria

Grading according to the 7-point grading scale.

Additional information

Responsible

Richard Brooks (rib)

Valid from

8/1/2025 12:00 AM

Course type

Keywords

Arithmetic, Number systems, Set theory, Probability, Descriptive statistics, Linear algebra, Matrices, Differentiation, Gradients.