[katka]

I've always wanted to program, but I suck at math. I can do the basic stuff and algerba, but anything more advanced and I get stuck, so I was wondering if I could still do good programming? I know stuff like 3d programming is out, but what about other things?

[Cowboy Shane]

I would say that you could do fine in programming without the higher math. The math helps, but it's not an inflexible requirement. If you are able to think deductively, and solve problems, then you should be able to program. Try learning a language and see how it goes.

That said, I couldn't do the type of programming I do without it, but then I have to deal with databases and financial calculations.

[Deathknight]

As Cowboy Shane said its all about problem solving. Typically programmers tend to approach things different mentally. If you can apply a structured, logical approach to a problem I think you got what it takes.

There is seldom anything that I would consider real math involved in any of the work I do. If you have any real number crunching to do you are more than likely going to be working with a business analyst or somebody that really understands the #s. Granted financials do involve some math, but nothing I would consider to be "advanced".

[Cowboy Shane]

Calc. will rear it's head every once in a while with some financial equations, but generally all of the deriving has been done, and it's just a plug and chug job for the programmer. With regard to the database stuff, I would say that having a good working knowledge of sets has proven invaluable to me, but I've seen plenty of people that are good at working with relational databases without understanding the set theory.

[Too Smart]

In order to get a programming job these days you need a computer science degree, and you can't get one of those without taking a lot of math classes.

[bluce ree]

hey

the math requirement for programming depends on a lot:
first off, identify WHAT LANGUAGE YOU WANT TO USE.
C? Visual basic? Assembly?

then identify WHAT PLATFORM you want to program for:
x86? RISC? other?

that will determine your math requirements.
I program in assembly & visual basic A lot. most math i use is add, multiply, divide, subtract.

Good problem solving is more important than higher math skills. I STRONGLY recommend you atleast buy a book so you can learn how programming flow goes.

[Mizzery]

You may not be able to get a full head on programming job with the computer science degere, but there a several other jobs where programming comes in handy. Database work, web scripting, anything unix the list goes on. Once you learn the fundamentals of programming, you then have the ability to manipulate the computer in many many ways. You may have to look up the syntax of a new language, but you'll have a feel for what you're supposed to do with it. Even as a novice understanding how programming works gives you a greater konwledge of computers in general and how they operate. If you're planning on going into any computer field, a knowledge of programming goes a very long way.

Yeah, the higher math is reserved for compounding intrest equations 3d and sound. Math skills deffinately help in the programming land, but logic, reasoning and deduction skills will take you much farther.

Programming is programming
the rest is just syntax

[Nebuchadnazzar]

I don't know, im thinking about going into programming and software engineering needs both calculus and discrete math (thats nuts! the 2 hardest maths for programming!)

[Deathknight]

Originally posted by Nebuchadnazzar
I don't know, im thinking about going into programming and software engineering needs both calculus and discrete math (thats nuts! the 2 hardest maths for programming!)

Depends where you go to school. My college had several different comp sci emphases, each of which had different requirements for business and math classes. It was possible to get a degree with just calc and statistics though.

I guess its important to shop around for the comp sci program that is right for you. If your college requires a heavy dose of math for a comp sci degree I wonder what their comp sci curriculum is like. It may be more computer engineering and less programming oriented than what you are looking for if they require so much math background. Programming itself requires little skill in math, the things you program may require some knowledge of math but I would consider those jobs the exception, not the norm.

[powerme]

Originally posted by Nebuchadnazzar
calculus and discrete math (thats nuts! the 2 hardest maths for programming!)

they are not the hardest. You only touch the surface. More to come after this

[bluce ree]

If you want to write software for a living, pick a type of software and get VERY GOOD AT IT.

examples:

database software, GUI software, terminal applications, games, etc.

theres a lot of different kinds--specialize in related ones

[Frodo Baggins]

Originally posted by powerme


they are not the hardest. You only touch the surface. More to come after this

Perhaps he is referring to high school. If so, then they are probably the two hardest math course you'll encounter

I started programming at a young age, but I started getting into BASIC in grade 10 when I didn't know very much math (we're talking basic algebra, quadratic formula, etc.). I started C++ and Java after, but the math used isn't a big deal at all.

Like someone mentioned, until higher levels of programming, it's mostly problem solving. Can you figure out how many loops you need to do this, or how many variables you need to assign to do this...stuff like that

I can honestly say that the hardest math I've ever had to use was in Java when I created a 3d rotation program that required knowing how to translate 3 dimensional coordinates into a 2 dimensional surface. There is some modular arithmetic to know but that isn't very hard.

[powerme]

Originally posted by Frodo Baggins


Perhaps he is referring to high school. If so, then they are probably the two hardest math course you'll encounter

dude, " calculus and discrete math " are NOT taught in high school ONLY in university/college.

unless you go to 'enstein" or "elite" high school in the country.

[Deathknight]

Originally posted by powerme


dude, " calculus and discrete math " are NOT taught in high school ONLY in university/college.

Many highschools teach advanced placement classes that give college credits for college level classes...

[Masakari]

The other posters are correct, you should not worry about the higher math for programming courses. The only time you should worry about the more advanced math is when you get into graduate courses (Masters, PhD). That's when they get really theoreticle and thus most of the course will be based on advanced mathematics (e.g. analyzing a new algorithm, proving its correctness, etc..).

Some colleges focus more on theoreticle stuff (more math) than other colleges. Just grab a calender from each of your local colleges to get an idea of how much math they have in their comp sci program.

[Too Smart]

Computer science is not all programming courses. You will have to take a lot of computer science courses where you have to learn computer science theory. I've had to take courses where they teach things like logic, propositional logic, first order logic, set theory, graph theory, functions, it's like learning math all over again except much harder than any calculus or algebra class I've ever taken. And it's only going to get harder, next year I have courses such as algorithm design and analysis. And this is not for my masters, these are all undergraduate level courses. This stuff is hard, and if you don't like math you probably won't like this.

If you just want to learn how to program, then go to a community college where you'll take only programming courses, but if you want to become a computer scientist, then you will have to learn computer science theory and much of it is based on math. Which is kind of odd since many people I know are really good programmers but hate computer science theory.

[Nebuchadnazzar]

As clarification:
I'm in high school (gr 12) and taking introductory calculus and discrete right now, but I only have like 60s

[daga5831]

Right now I'm a Computing major, and my university is VERY math intensive for Computing . I think that half of my Bachelor of Applied Science will be math courses - either calc or discrete. And it doesn't help that calculus is first thing in the morning for me - I'm not exactly a morning person.

But yeah...like everybody else said, just look at all the universities/colleges in your area and see which ones have the branching options you'd be interested in, and out of that group, see which ones have math requirements that you'd be able to deal with. Good luck!

[BigSmokey]

COBOL, COBOL, COBOL.

Man I am going to have a hard time not writting a novel, but if you want a JOB, this is worth a read.

I can still hear everyone moaning about COBOL. I just graduated with a Computer Information Systems degree this summer. Its a BUSINESS DEGREE, so I didnt have to take any math higher than college algebra. I did have to take things like economics, accounting, marketing, management, ect...but a monkey can pass gen ed and business gen ed.

I would like to think Im better than everyone else I graduated with, but I think I just made a better choice when given an option. As Business students, we took 3 programming courses. A basic of one language and a basic + advanced of another language. We could choose from VB, Java, and COBOL. For the advanced language, about 75% of students choose VB, 22% choose Java, and me and 2 other people picked COBOL.

This is actually a very scarry notion. COBOL and PL1 are mainframe languages. Big companies use COBOL and there is no good substitute. Currently, the PC is in no position to replace the mainframe and probably wont within my life time if it ever does. COBOL coders are old and retiring. Roughly 80% of the lines of code that exist in the world today are written in COBOL.

In my final semester, I asked around and out of probably 50 people I asked, none of them had jobs lined up after graduation. A few had some prospects, but nobody had a firm offer. I had 2 and they wanted me bad. I only applied at 2 places also or I probably would have had more. The place I went to work for is the largest private IT shop in the US and ranked #2 of best IT places to work. They paid to fly me out + room + board TWICE, once for the interview and once to find a place. They paid 750$ for me to move here. They pay above average, have great benefits, and treat their employees VERY well. All this right out of college.

So I say....GO COBOL.

[thef0x82]

If you plan on going anywhere and getting paid anything you'll need the math. As tough as the job market is right now, I doubt that anyone is hiring too many people that have an Associate's degree instead of a Bachelor's.

If you can struggle through Calc, and Discrete in high shool, they should be easier by the time you get to college. I had a really hard time with Calc, but Discrete was cake.

If you find that you can't handle the Computer Science route, you can always drop back to Management Information Systems, although at my college MIS is kind of a joke, and I'm told it's worthless in the job market. Might as well go General Studies with a concentration in Computer Science at that point.