Re: Mathematics


Steve wrote:
> Do you need to be good in mathematics to be a good programmer?

this is a FAQ and the answer is very much "it depends", depends on what
kind of programming you are doing that is - just as you predicted - so
we can set aside applications for which applied mathematics, statistics
and other branches are an absolute must.

> I never
> was good in math, except for the basics
> (addition/subtraction/multiplication and division). Anything beyond
> that waved bye bye to me a *long* time ago... I appreciate the
> calculator more and more. I always found math boring, but find
> computers and programming tremendously fascinating.

I've never understood what it means when someone says they find a
subject too difficult and then say they find it boring. It's a not a
direct contradiction, but always sounds odd. I always associate
'boring' with repetitive and unchallenging areas of life. I find
mathematics very interesting and difficult too!

> Would I be able to get by in programming without any knowledge of
> advanced mathematics? Couldn't I just use the good ol' fashioned
> calculator?

You really ought to have a good grounding in algebraic equations, in
programming you are, after all, saying things like a=b/(c+d)

> I know you're probably going to say: "It depends on what
> kind of programming you intend to do." Well, I do not intend to
develop
> games or graphic related applications. It just isn't any of my
> interest. I really have my heart set on wanting to develop internet
and
> hardware related applications for DOS and Windows written in the
C/C++
> and Object Pascal (Turbo Pascal and Delphi) programming languages.
The
> types of applications I wish to develop are things such as: TCP/IP
> clients and servers, serial communications utilities, file
manipulation
> utilities, etc. I should also mention that I don't intend to make
> programming a career...

You can accomplish a great deal of this without much mathematics beyond
normal operations and some algebra, and by using the generous library
of functions and objects (esp. in Delphi and C++ with STL). With
Delphi, for example, you can make a fairly complete internet app of
some kind by essentially coordinating the internet VCL components.

.

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