How much math you need for programming (2014)
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How much math you need for programming (2014)
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Re: How much math you need for programming (2014)
#2For those programmers who are weak at math and trying to figure out just how much and what kind of math is required to get started with programming or get better at it.
Re: How much math you need for programming (2014)
#3The Steve Yegg link: http://steve-yegge.blogspot.com/2006/03/math-for-programmers... (The given link didn’t work for me)
Re: How much math you need for programming (2014)
#4Programming is not math. Computer science however is based on boolean and predicate logic and borrows requires mathematical thinking and methods as well. That being said I don't find the basic algorithmic analysis stuff very math heavy unless we go into induction and analysing recursive functions.
That being said some domains equipment require a fair bit of maths. Currently working on a game engine and trigonometry and linear algebra are very common tools for me.
Re: How much math you need for programming (2014)
#5I have/had a few colleagues with almost no math knowledge beyond primary school. One was quite a good programmer, interested in all kinds of technical stuff. He had failed secondary school because of, well, reasons, but he wasn't dumb, and wrote decent code and was quite inventive. Another one was someone with a business school degree who had changed careers. Not a glitch in his school career, but his math was very weak. Not a great programmer, but he had a good feel for UI. I've also had a colleague with a math PhD. He was a very good programmer, although not very fast.
In my experience, you don't need it if you work on the more conservative projects. If you want to build the next YouTube or facebook, you might find a good understanding of math invaluable.
Re: How much math you need for programming (2014)
#6In twenty years of coding I’ve used math beyond junior high algebra exactly once.
Re: How much math you need for programming (2014)
#7Depends on what you write.
For some applications, you need a great deal of advanced dynamic maths, for some applications, matrix math, for some, heavy-duty topology, etc.
I have a lot of admiration for folks that write software that implements advanced mathematical reasoning, but that is only a part of what is required to develop shipping applications and systems.
For me, I learned the standard calculus stuff, but never used it. I was never a math whiz.
What has probably had the most impact for me in my work, was good ol’ Algebra 2. It taught me how to do things like express word problems as formulae, use variables, balance equations, understand functions, abstraction and encapsulation, etc.
Re: How much math you need for programming (2014)
#8It really depends on what software you're working on. If its regular web development, eshop, fintech etc, math knowledge required is close to none. Backend or frontend doesn't matter. If you switch to more advanced software e.g. geo, cad, games then it's a different story.
Re: How much math you need for programming (2014)
#9Depends on what you write. For some applications, you need a great deal of advanced dynamic maths, for some applications, matrix math, for some, heavy-duty topology, etc. I have a lot of admiration for folks that write software that implements advanced mathematical reasoning, but that is only a part of what is required to develop shipping applications and systems. For me, I learned the standard calculus stuff, but ne…
It would be nice to have a map. Some programming is plumbing.. some is investigating (maintenance).. some is more attention to details (specs and protocols) but sometimes it's raw wide and deep math. You don't solve dynamic programming problems without a mathematical thinking (or else I want to see 'you' operate :)
Re: How much math you need for programming (2014)
#10Programming is not math. Computer science however is based on boolean and predicate logic and borrows requires mathematical thinking and methods as well. That being said I don't find the basic algorithmic analysis stuff very math heavy unless we go into induction and analysing recursive functions. That being said some domains equipment require a fair bit of maths. Currently working on a game engine and trigonometry a…
Hm. To me programming is a subset of mathematics. You are right it is not math, but its origins are definitely mathematical. There was Alan Turing who built the first computer to decifer nazi communications. But the axis too used "programming", by calculating optimization algorithms to determine rocket trajectories... Of course there is more too it, but an understanding of mathematics is good for any programmer.