First-semester students on the Media Informatics and Administrative Informatics – E-Government degree programmes at the Faculty of Communication and Environment took part in the annual computer science competition for first-year students. Henning Felder came out on top against his fellow students.
The Faculty of Communication and Environment at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences once again organised an internal first-year competition for students on the Media Informatics and Administrative Informatics – E-Government degree programmes as part of the ‘Fundamentals of Computer Science’ module. In this module, Professor Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Greveler, Professor of Applied Computer Science – specialising in IT security – teaches the technical fundamentals of computer science.
This year’s task was to find a specific so-called hexadecimal number within a numerical code. These special numbers, which consist of 16 different digits and therefore have six more digits than the familiar decimal system, are of great importance in the processing of data using computers. To achieve this, the students first had to devise a strategy and then automatically test a large number of digit combinations until the result was found. After just under an hour, the code was cracked and Henning Felder was declared the winner.
To solve the problem, the students had to break new ground and learn about properties of numbers that are not normally taught at school. Programming under time pressure was also a new experience for many. “A flair for maths, an interest in logic and a creative approach to the digital world are ideal prerequisites for studying computer science,” explains Professor Greveler, who launched the annual competition. “Our competition presents students with a challenge: the result must be produced within a very short time and must be correct,” Professor Greveler continues.
“My approach was to try out every possible combination of numbers,” says prize-winner Felder, explaining his method. As part of his dual study programme at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, the student is simultaneously undergoing vocational training at a company and is thus working towards two qualifications at the same time. Professor Greveler is particularly pleased about this, as the importance of dual computer science degree programmes is growing enormously and the success rate amongst dual students is particularly high.
