What Math Is Needed for Programming?

[Bibby]

I'm interesting in studying OOP programming languages on my own: C, C++,
Java. I haven't studied the big 4 math subjects in my last year of high
school, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics. Which of these subjects
would I need to be able to understand some of more advanced concepts I may
encounter in my studies. Do I necessarily need any of them at all?

Thanks

PA

[Andreas Ravnestad]

Usually you don't need skills in math and statistics to learn OOP. However,
to come up with solutions to complex problems (depending on the nature of
the problem) you need math and statistics skills.

Kind regards,
AR
"Bibby" <bi***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dT******************@news20.bellglobal.com...

I'm interesting in studying OOP programming languages on my own: C, C++,
Java. I haven't studied the big 4 math subjects in my last year of high
school, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics. Which of these subjects
would I need to be able to understand some of more advanced concepts I may
encounter in my studies. Do I necessarily need any of them at all?

Thanks

PA

[krikol]

Bibby wrote:

I'm interesting in studying OOP programming languages on my own: C, C++,
Java. I haven't studied the big 4 math subjects in my last year of high
school, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics. Which of these subjects
would I need to be able to understand some of more advanced concepts I may
encounter in my studies. Do I necessarily need any of them at all?

Thanks

PA

No!

[Casper B]

krikol skrev:

Bibby wrote:

I'm interesting in studying OOP programming languages on my own: C,
C++, Java. I haven't studied the big 4 math subjects in my last year
of high school, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics. Which of
these subjects would I need to be able to understand some of more
advanced concepts I may encounter in my studies. Do I necessarily need
any of them at all?

Depends highly on what your ambitions are. Apart from boolean algebra
(and, or, xor, not), number system (base2, ) and set theory, there is
not much math in a emperical language such as C++ and Java (Unlike
functional languages like Lisp, Haskell etc.)

/Casper

[Hal Rosser]

"Bibby" <bi***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dT******************@news20.bellglobal.com...

I'm interesting in studying OOP programming languages on my own: C, C++,
Java. I haven't studied the big 4 math subjects in my last year of high
school, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics. Which of these subjects
would I need to be able to understand some of more advanced concepts I may
encounter in my studies. Do I necessarily need any of them at all?

Thanks

PA

if you need the math knowledge to arrive at the solution (or to understand
the problem), then someone else would have to write that program. You can
write lots of programs with knowing lots of math, but if you cannot solve a
problem yourself, you can't write the program that solves it.
Go ahead and start learning to program - but also learn your math.
As a general rule, folks who are good at math, usually do well at learning
programming.

[Brian Bailey]

Bibby,

Please remember that the two purposes of a math class are to:
1. Teach you the math.
2. Teach you to think abstractly.

It's the second purpose that is primarily important for software
development.

But, as others have said, the first purpose may be necessary to solve
specific problems. I would definitely recommend some Discrete Mathematics,
which deals with set theory, logic (and, or, xor, etc.), trees, and graphs.
Set theory and logic come are a big part of interacting with databases
(especially in debugging your queries). Logic is always important in
functional programming languages. Trees and graphs can be important in
architecture, design, and general problem-solving.

Other specific math skills (e.g., geometry) may be important depending on
the domain you are programming in. For example, one problem I had to solve
recently involved finding the distance between two points on a map. The
Pythagorean (sp?) theorem from geometry saved my bacon there.

Good luck,
Brian

"Bibby" <bi***@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:dT******************@news20.bellglobal.com...

I'm interesting in studying OOP programming languages on my own: C, C++,
Java. I haven't studied the big 4 math subjects in my last year of high
school, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics. Which of these subjects
would I need to be able to understand some of more advanced concepts I may
encounter in my studies. Do I necessarily need any of them at all?

Thanks

PA

[James McIninch]

<posted & mailed>

Algebra for simple standard programming.
Geometry for graphics work.
Statistics for data analysis.
Calculus for games and simulations.

Bibby wrote:

I'm interesting in studying OOP programming languages on my own: C, C++,
Java. I haven't studied the big 4 math subjects in my last year of high
school, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics. Which of these subjects
would I need to be able to understand some of more advanced concepts I may
encounter in my studies. Do I necessarily need any of them at all?

Thanks

PA

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