Is mathematics necessary for programming? [closed]

Answer 1

Someone with a solid mathematical (which is not merely arithmetic) or logic background will cope well with algorithms, variable use, conditional reasoning and data structures.

• Not everyone can design a UI.
• Not everyone can make efficient code.
• Not everyone can comment and document clearly.
• Not everyone can do a good algorithm

Mathematics will help you to a point, but only to a point.

Answer 2

I'll go against the grain here and say "Yes"

I switch from Civil Engineering to programming (Concrete Sucks!). My math background consists of the usual first year stuff, second and third year Calculus(Diff EQ, volume integrations, Series, Fourier and Laplace transforms) and a Numerical Analysis course.

I find that my math is incredibly lacking for computer programming. There are entire areas of Discrete math and logic that I am missing, and I only survive due to an extensive library of textbooks, Wikipedia and Wolfram. Most advanced algorithms are based on advanced math, and I am unable to develop advanced algorithms without doing extensive research (Essentially the equivalent to a half-course worth of work.) I am certainly unable to come up with NEW algorithms, as I just don't have the mathematical foundations as the shoulders of giants upon which to stand.

Answer 3

What type of programming?

In my commercial experience, I have needed no advanced mathematics, but this is heavily dependent on the field you are in.

Computer graphics require a large amount of advanced mathematics. A lot of academic computer programming requires advanced mathematics.

So saying there tends to be a correlation between people who are good at mathematics and people who are good at programming.

I hope this wishy-washy answer helps.

Answer 4

Learning higher math, for most programmers, is important simply because it bends your brain to think logically, in a step-by-step manner to get from one thing to another.

Very few programming jobs, though, require anything above high school math. I've used linear algebra once. I've never used calculus. I use algebra every day.

Answer 5

IMO, you probably need an aptitude for mathematics, without necessarily having much knowledge in the field. So the things you require to be good at maths are similar to the things you require to be good at programming.

But in general, I can't remember the last time I used any sort of advanced maths in day-to-day programming, so no.

Answer 6

computer science != programming

OK, seriously, I know good and bad programmers who were English and Psychology majors and some that were Computer Science majors. Some very famous guys that I admire as developers didn't have a CS background. Larry Wall(Perl), for example, was a linguist. On the other hand, it helps to know something about the domain you are working on because then you can at least see if your data makes sense and help your customer/users drill down to what they really want. And yes, there's the issue of computational complexity and efficient data structures and program correctness. That's stuff you learn in Computer Science and that's useful to know in almost any domain, but it's neither necessary nor sufficient.