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game programming interview...maths questions??

Started by howdydoody Jan 15, 2008 at 5:42 PM 4 replies 13.7k views
Original Post
howdydoody
howdydoody
hi, what kind of math related questions could you expect to come up in a interview for games programming.... i guess it would depend on the job you were going for, but typically what have people been asked?? thanks,
Driv3MeFar
Driv3MeFar
Mostly linear algebra. Finding a normal to a plane defined by two vectors, projecting one vector onto another, and so on.
rbangs
rbangs
Most of the games programming interviews I've had haven't really touched on any mathematics. If you get any math related questions you can generally expect them to be quite simple, unless of course your going for a physics programmer position :) One interview I had asked me to write the equation for the distance between two points, what a dot product represents, and wanted a definition of harmonic motion. But you can expect more questions on programming, and general problem solving.
Dirk Gregorius
Dirk Gregorius
In general (though it might depend on the position and level you apply for) I would expect general questions about linear algebra. Simple stuff like what are the dot and cross product, than some simple geometric problems like already mentioned to project a point on a plane, maybe closest point to a sphere and maybe ray triangle intersection. Finally I would make sure that you are confident with linear transformations and how you can store/apply rotations/orientations (quaternions, matrices, or angle-axis)
grhodes_at_work
grhodes_at_work
We ask math questions when interview for graphics and game dev positions. I wouldn't want to list specific things we ask...my main advice would be to not memorize or study just a few things that you think are going to be asked. Interviewers are often able to see through memorized answers, and even if you were hired, I think a lack of true comprehension or ability would be apparent quickly enough. Diversify yourself, and seek a well-rounded understanding of the things mentioned here: linear algebra as it relates to geometry transformations and physics, vector algebra and trigonometry, fundamental algorithms for intersection testing, at least the basic idea of common problems such as tunneling, the why and at least basic how of spatial partitioning, etc. The broader your understanding, I think the better positioned you would be to perform in a job that involves math and geometry. The better you understand, the less you worry about what specific questions might be asked!
Graham Rhodes Moderator, Math & Physics forum @ gamedev.net

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