MATHEMATICAL NOTATION IN FORMAL SPECIFICATION - TOO DIFFICULT FOR THEMASSES

Authors
FINNEY K
Citation
K. Finney, MATHEMATICAL NOTATION IN FORMAL SPECIFICATION - TOO DIFFICULT FOR THEMASSES, IEEE transactions on software engineering, 22(2), 1996, pp. 158-159
Citations number
8
Categorie Soggetti
Computer Sciences","Engineering, Eletrical & Electronic","Computer Science Software Graphycs Programming
Journal title
IEEE transactions on software engineering → ACNP
ISSN journal
00985589
Volume
22
Issue
2
Year of publication
1996
Pages
158 - 159
Database
ISI
SICI code
0098-5589(1996)22:2<158:MNIFS->2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
The phrase ''not much mathematics required'' can imply a variety of sk ill levels. When this phrase is applied to computer scientists, softwa re engineers, and clients in the area of formal specification, the wor d ''much'' can be widely misinterpreted with disastrous consequences. A small experiment in reading specifications revealed that students al ready trained in discrete mathematics and the specification notation p erformed very poorly; much worse than could reasonably be expected if formal methods proponents are to be believed.