What is Computer Science
Computers are a part of everyday life for the majority of people. They are used for work, recreation and daily activities such as banking, shopping and even driving. Most people have a rudimentary understanding of how computers operate and can use them to complete simple daily tasks. Others work closely with computers and have a higher level of understanding and competency and still others are in the business of designing, creating and improving computers. Computers have become so necessary to daily life that the area of computer science has been developed. If you have ever heard the term computer science and wondered what it is then this article will give you a brief overview of the area.
What is computer science?
Science is the study of the structure, function and behavior of both the natural and physical world. Science is knowledge obtained through study and practice such as experiment, observation and theorizing. Computer science is using computers as tools to solve both complex and real-life problems. Computer science is a very broad area of science as there is much that can be studied, observed, tested and theorized using computers. Computer science is very different from information technology in that the focus is not on computers, but more on the process and problems that can be discovered and solved using a computer as a tool. Many experts believe that computer science should be renamed computing science to accurately reflect the fact that it is not the study of computers but of computing.
There are two main areas of computer science, theoretical computer science and applied computer science. Theoretical computer science involves areas of study such as; the theory of computation, information and coding theory, algorithms and data structure, database and information retrieval, and language theory. Applied computer science involves using computers to work on complex problems and ideas such as artificial intelligence, the architecture and engineering of computer systems, graphics and visualization, security and cryptography, computational science, information science and software engineering.
The following video features explanations of computer science from professors and students studying in the field:
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