   Looking for a book
  I'm taking a class called "Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science"We're using a book titled "Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation" (1979) by John E Hopcroft and Jeffrey D UllmanMy professor is brilliant... but I can't understand what he is saying... and the book is none too helpful.Any recommendations?   
Quote:Original post by domstyledesignAny recommendations?Could you be more specific?I mean, I could recommend any of the following:- drop the class- quit school and sell cars for a living- sell all your posessions, fly to Thailand and get a sex-change operation- etc.;  In fairness, the thread title is "looking for a book". I'm guessing he's assuming people will realize that he's looking for another text to supplement his assigned one so that he can keep with the class more easily.(This post is void of suggestions because I don't personally know any texts that would be appropriate)   ;Quote:Original post by legalizeCould you be more specific?I mean, I could recommend any of the following:- drop the class- quit school and sell cars for a living- sell all your posessions, fly to Thailand and get a sex-change operation- etc.* Note the title of the thread *- drop the class    that's the easy way out- quit school and sell cars for a living    don't get me started on my opinion of car salespeople...- sell all your posessions, fly to Thailand and get a sex-change operation    there isn't a single part of that sentence that i enjoyedanyways, i'm hoping to find a book which is a little more reader-friendly   ;Quote:Original post by domstyledesignanyways, i'm hoping to find a book which is a little more reader-friendlyI guess I don't have any suggestions because I learned the material from that same book and had no problem with it.  Again, specifics would help here in terms of what exactly about the book is giving you a hard time.  You could also just try talking with the professor in office hours or pestering the TA (if you have one) for assistance.   ;Quote:Original post by legalizeI guess I don't have any suggestions because I learned the material from that same book and had no problem with it.  Again, specifics would help here in terms of what exactly about the book is giving you a hard time.  You could also just try talking with the professor in office hours or pestering the TA (if you have one) for assistance.i envy you and your mad-sick comprehension skills.seriously though, this thread is about finding a book. i'm fully aware of my asking-for-help options. i have, afterall, been going to school since i was 5 lol. unfortunately, my schedule doesn't accommodate for much.i appreciate your help, but your suggestions are borderline off-topic.   ;  oh, and why i'm having a hard time with the book: it's a little too technical and theoretical for me. i'd do better with more examples. many more examples. and some language closer to plain english   ;Quote:Original post by domstyledesignoh, and why i'm having a hard time with the book: it's a little too technical and theoretical for me. i'd do better with more examples. many more examples. and some language closer to plain englishIf I dig around I might have the notes from the class I took on the subject.  Not my notes that I scribbled down, but what the professor used in his lecture to accompany the book.   ;  Well Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation is a pretty good book, but if you want some alternatives then in my opinion "Introduction to Computation, 2nd ed." by Michael Sipser is an excellent, easy to understand book. It's one of the clearest books I have read in a while, but don't expect it to be normal "English". AFAIK no serious computation theory book is written in normal English. This book probably covers the same stuff as your course. It also has lots of great exercises and problems at the end, some with answers provided (about 10% of them has answers in the book).Another good supplemental book is Computers and Intractability: A Guide to the Theory of NP-completeness, however it's a bit more specific which means it may not be able to supplement you throughout the whole course (take a look at the table of contents to get a feel for what it covers). Nonetheless, if you do have the extra time to read it, I suggest you do so. It's an excellent book too.And then to go a little off-topic.Quote:My professor is brilliant... but I can't understand what he is saying...Something here doesn't make sense. If you have the necessary prerequisites and you don't understand what your professor is saying, how can you say he is brilliant? It sounds like you're either lacking some prerequisites or your professor isn't brilliant at teaching, or perhaps you just isn't spending enough time on this course.EDIT: BTW If you're lacking some of the basics required then Sipser's book include an introduction to some of the topics like set theory, functions, relations and a bit of graph theory.   ;  I've got a copy of Sipser myself, it's quite a good book.   