Is Math necessary in today's world?

[ShadeDream]

When it comes to Math, I'm a complete dummy. It feels like I'm trying to understand Chinese with maybe a few useless clues that keep my brain looping over and over the same issue causing a mental block. It's like when your computer suddenly freezes and it looks like it's doing nothing but in fact it's trying to work something out. When I watch videos / search for solutions, I don't understand what is being put forward. I'll get what is being said to an extent and then I will be confused and not know what to do. I will be shown an example, and I will be able to follow it, but as soon as something new appears, something that hasn't been covered, I'm stuck because I don't know how to go about the problem. I literally need someone to guide me step by step and only when I get the ?a ha!? moment, only then I understand what is going on and can work with it. Getting to the ?a ha!? moment is the trick.

I kind of forgot where I was heading with this thread because I burnt my tongue over boiling tea that I literally drooled over my desk. Hmm... oh yes, I was going to say that when it comes to Math, even when I understand certain concepts, it feels like my brain is an Intel Pentium III 1.00 GHz Processor trying to run Crysis. Alright, maybe that was slightly over exaggerated but you get the point? I'm just slow when it comes to processing information.

My main point in creating this thread was to find out whether or not I really need to learn Math to be able to program? I'm mainly looking at web programming, scripts and stuff, lets say a mini social networking platform, a billing system, etc. These are just a few examples, I'm not trying to make the next social networking platform, I'm kind of looking to learn programming to be able to create tools/platforms that will suite my needs. But I'd also be interested in the likes of Java. Is Math really necessary, or is it only important for advanced and complex things?

I really don't see how I'd use Math anywhere in my future, and I certainly do not feel pulled towards learning it. But if I'm going to try to learn it, I will need to go back to the basics. It's just that I don't want to do this unless I really need it. Learning Math is like learning a language, it takes a lot of effort and I really don't see the point in learning a language you're never really going to use.

Sometimes I wonder if certain people are born with better processors in their brains or if I'm just stupid.

 

[Toolboy]

Yes it is

 

[TheGreyMatter]

 

[peanutz]

Math is very useful in programing. The least useful is in web programing but still useful, especially with data mining

 

[antichrist]

100% Yes. Math is the logic of the world, just as programming is the logic of computing.

 

[steelballs]

Today it is too easy, but a sharp person with great mental arithmetic skills is one of the foundations that are often found in individuals who have an awesome presence and intellect...

Folks can give it all a pass these days... but they often show stark shortcomings when they are not attached to a PC and/or mobile device as often without these support tools, they are likely to come over as brain dead or at best to sound and look a bit dim...

 

[ShadeDream]

I'm sure there are many successful people that find Math difficult, am I really doomed? I feel like I can outsource the Math if I ever need it... lol

 

[service hub]

yes for our satisfaction we need to get good maths so by getting we get a good payment

thanks

 

[jazzc]

Is math required to make money? No.

Is math required to give you sharp logic which is one of the skills that can seriously help in making money? Yes.

 

[Berkeli]

Of course you do,

I was the best in my school/uni in math and also been quite successful in a few worldwide competitions, it's kind of a hobby. People might say there's a calculator, you don't need math but it's not about calculating at all.
The very basic math is Algorithms and it is used or at least has to be used everywhere. If you know the proper algorithm you can succeed in anything.

There is also a lot of fascinating math problems, that can actually keep me busy for a few hours and to me it even more enjoyable than watching a movie or similar..

Also I don't think I would be a programmer if I didn't know math well enough.

 

[Twixx]

I absolutely suck at math, which in school is a bit bad, since it's much about math and logical thinking. The upside of this is that we who suck at math often have a stronger right brain half, which makes us more creative and out of the box thinking, which later on in life may be really valuable when you are able to do stuff you really enjoy.

EDIT: I just came up with an example of what I just stated.

Look at the guy above me, he's successful with math and all that. Then look at me, I absolutely SUCK at it.

Then again, look at our Avatars. He has a black and white picture of a face, pretty basic, I then again have a "home animated" avatar of a goat. That shows pretty much how it works.

 

[ReALeST]

Indeed knowing some mathematics will be good.You dont need to be like stephen hawking or aything.Just farmiliarize urself with basic principles and fundamentals and your all set.

 

[jazzc]

Today it is too easy, but a sharp person with great mental arithmetic skills is one of the foundations that are often found in individuals who have an awesome presence and intellect...

Mathematics is not arithmetic. For mundane calculations, one can just use a calculator. What math is important for is the abstraction.

 

[pvmtoilet]

Math is most important! We started with it and we need to learn it most!

 

[Zapdos]

If you know how to do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division you'll be fine for most things. Loops you'll normally only increment by whole values, percentages are easy, rounding is done via functions... The only time you'll really need math is for advanced statistics/probability calculation or cryptography. For the first you probably wont be doing that unless you get lots of visitors and by that time you should be making the money to hire that work out, and for the second you'd probably make a highly insecure function.

Just learn programming. When you need math just google for it.

 

[bertbaby]

Some people are definitely better wired for math but for the most part it's one of those innate skills that improve with one's use. And statistics should be a big part of IM when you are testing campaign results so ignore at your own peril.

 

[Furious George]

If you're trying to impress jazzc by doing his homework, then yes, it's extremely important. :banana:

 

[luxlyangels]

You dont need maths to be a good programer , I graduated with a mathematics Degree from the best university in my country and as at 2 years back i knew no single line of code .

It may really help you to appreciate coding better but it is not a must . I know a medical Doctor who cna code way better than me , he plays with java and php like they were his babies .

""Sometimes I wonder if certain people are born with better processors in their brains or if I'm just stupid.""

I see this statement as a fallacy . Anybody can be good in maths , Anybody can be good in anything you set your mind to it, Hardwork , determination and constant pratice makes you a "master" in any particular aspect of life .

Some people are just plain lazy when it comes to maths and thats the reason why many fail woefully .

 

[jazzc]

I literally need someone to guide me step by step and only when I get the �a ha!� moment, only then I understand what is going on and can work with it. Getting to the �a ha!� moment is the trick.

You are doing it right. That 's how the best learning happens - with the aha! moment

My main point in creating this thread was to find out whether or not I really need to learn Math to be able to program?

No. Having worked with math means you already have learned to use abstraction at some degree and that 's what necessary to become a good programmer.

 

[Berkeli]

If you know how to do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division you'll be fine for most things. Loops you'll normally only increment by whole values, percentages are easy, rounding is done via functions... The only time you'll really need math is for advanced statistics/probability calculation or cryptography. For the first you probably wont be doing that unless you get lots of visitors and by that time you should be making the money to hire that work out, and for the second you'd probably make a highly insecure function.

you will be very surprised to find out how many people don't know how to calculate percentages.. I've met shitloads of them