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BenZeR2011-08-25 07:18:02
Programming
BenZeR, 2011-08-25 07:18:02

Programming without math

Hello.
Actually, very soon I will face the question of choosing an educational institution for further study.
For several years I dreamed of studying to be a programmer, but here's the problem. I have absolutely nothing with mathematics, only at the level of a stretched "troika". Attended computer courses, taught Pascal/Delphi there. He grasped everything on the fly, was the best in his group.
Of course, I understand that this issue has already been raised, and more than once, but I would like to hear practical advice from those who have achieved something in this topic with a non-mathematical mindset.
Will I be able to study as a programmer, will I be able to become a good specialist?
Besides programming, I have nowhere to go, so maybe this whole year I should better study other areas of the IT industry? But I really want to program.
Thank you.

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21 answer(s)
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korvindest, 2011-08-25
@korvindest

I can give an opinion based on my life experience.
Mathematics is also hard for me, but this does not prevent me from sitting and understanding those sections of it that are really needed to solve specific problems.
Personally, I am generally badly given knowledge that cannot be useful in the near future.
In addition, I want to note one very important thing.
I had the opportunity to work as an administrator at the university for three years and I saw a huge number of future "programmers" who went to these specialties only because they like to sit at the computer.
Therefore, the main thing is not how easy the subject or related disciplines are for you, but how ready you are for difficulties, and how much you understand that programming consists not only of tricky and interesting tasks, but also of a large amount of routine, which sometimes takes a lot time and does not bring any moral satisfaction. This same routine sometimes weeds out people much more effectively than the ability to the subject.
Well, I would recommend paying attention to C-like languages ​​(C#, Java, C ++, ...), because. the era of Delphi has long been rolling towards its decline.

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simplecode, 2011-08-25
@simplecode

If you have a desire, that's very good, go and study...
Most applicants don't understand where they go to study at all...

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Dmitry, 2011-08-25
@Neir0

Don't be fooled, 90% of modern programming problems use math at the most at the 5th grade level. And in order to pass a matan, you don’t need to fuck it like hell, you just need to be able to pass it.

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Fastto, 2011-08-25
@Fastto

Mathematics - no one has curled in mathematics, some with a brain, some with money, but everyone passed ...
In practice, I use mathematics quite rarely, most often it is basic geometry, basic algebra, 1st course tower and probability theory. I don’t consider it difficult to master this on my own, in extreme cases you can always hire a tutor. There would be a desire. If you have a technical mindset, you can do it, but if you are too lazy to do something, but at the same time you want to get something - either in the army or for an athlete.

F
FloppyFormator, 2011-08-25
@FloppyFormator

Depends on the reason why you had difficulty with math.
If there was no interest or there was no understanding why it would be necessary, then now you don’t have such a problem, because programming is a direct application of many disciplines of mathematics.
If at school they were simply weak in mathematics, then in a good technical university (if you manage to go there) you will get it up. The level of difficulty in a secondary technical specialty (not a mechmat) is such that it is enough to simply complete all the tasks and learn the material on time, after which the exam normally passes 4-5.
If the problem is in the total absence of mathematical thinking, then everything is much more complicated. But I rarely met people with such a problem.

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ixSci, 2011-08-25
@ixSci

As noted above, it all depends on the teacher. When I studied, for all 6 courses, the only subject, because of which people were expelled 5-7 from the group, was Mathematical Analysis. True, we had a strict and principled teacher, but it was real to pass everything: cramming, cheating, or something else. If people REALLY wanted to learn, they stayed.
But it’s better not to rely on it much, hire a tutor, force yourself through the force but learn mathematics. Because perhaps in the future you will deeply regret the lost time. When I studied at the university, I didn’t bother much with all sorts of mathematics (discrete, matan, terver, etc.), although I always passed not badly. On the forums of programmers, many wrote that a (system) programmer does not need this at all, and only if game development, etc. Then I also thought, later I came to the conclusion that any worthy programmer needs mathematics, because. no matter how good you are at programming, you will always write systems that are less efficient than an equal programmer with knowledge of mathematics.

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Vitali, 2011-08-25
@Screatch

I understand you perfectly, everything is also very lousy with mathematics, but despite this, I still decided to choose the profession of a programmer for myself. I realized what I would have to go through when I entered, I even chose the appropriate exam to pass in advance (I almost failed, by the way, I passed through the appeal), but still I entered the state budget place. Now I have already completed the 1st course and I will tell you that if you have a desire, no mathematical analysis is terrible for you. Yes, I still do not understand it, but this does not prevent me from programming in my free time.
So do not be afraid, if anything, no one has canceled the cheating yet;)

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Ivan Shalganov, 2011-08-25
@Aco

Mathematics itself is not as important in programming as math. logics. And Boolean algebra is very useful.

A
Alexander, 2011-08-25
@Alexx_ps

I have the same situation with mathematics, so I didn’t go into programming, although I used to write in Delphi, but, as they wrote above, when there were difficulties associated with mathematics, I came to a dead end.
I think that a good programmer, who plans to improve after university, must know mathematics.

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un1t, 2011-08-25
@un1t

So comrades, well, tell me when was the last time and for the implementation of what task in your work did you really need mathematics at a level higher than the 11th grade of school.?

M
masterrr, 2011-08-25
@masterrr

This question has often been in my head. I do not understand mathematics very well, one might say - badly. But I decided to enter programming, I really wanted to. Entered. So far, the best in the group in programming, but not the best in math (for example, I just can’t understand the limits). And it would seem.

K
Kindman, 2011-09-09
@Kindman

In general , knowledge in the field of linguistics is more useful for a programmer than in the field of mathematics .

M
muromec, 2011-09-09
@muromec

I want to program.
do not ask on Habré, do not study, do not math, geometry and philosophy, but program.
read code and write code, that's all it takes.

I
Ivan Garbuz, 2011-09-09
@garbuzivan

First of all, a real programmer is a state of mind. Such a person does it for his own pleasure. Solving problems, even routine ones, gives him pleasure and earnings for such a person are in second place, because. for such people , programming is creativity .
If you are a real programmer, then I still advise you to pay attention to the exact sciences, at least they will help you master non-standard thinking, which greatly helps with creativity, very often you have to do various calculations. Example: imagine that you have to write physics for a good game, and physics is tied to mathematics and there is a whole chain.
There is a second class of people who know that it is profitable and decide to do this business for the sake of work, for such people, for the most part, it is more important not to know physics and mathematics, but it is important to learn how to use various frameworks.
PS Creativity is the engine of progress.

X
xiWera, 2011-08-25
@xiWera

Everything is very simple, depending on what kind of programming you are going to do. If you write scripts for websites, then you may not need any mathematics. But if you are going to write a spacecraft control system... oh, how it will take mathematics.
Decide for yourself what you want? Be an apprentice or be a master. Superfluous skills will never interfere with a master, an apprentice will often be helped to “ruin this workpiece too”

T
tapko, 2011-08-25
@tapko

When I was at school, I didn’t understand mathematics at all, I was even a little afraid of the teacher, but still I went to study programming. At first, I was afraid about not knowing mathematics, but when I entered a higher educational institution, I realized that there was nothing to be afraid of. We have a very good teacher on the tower, she explained what was happening ... and now I understand the tower quite well.
Much depends on the teacher and the desire to learn.

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int02h, 2011-08-26
@int02h

Mathematics is a flexible concept. Maybe classical mathematical analysis will not be needed. But discrete mathematics has come to my rescue more than once (I program under .NET).

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dborovikov, 2011-09-08
@dborovikov

The main function of a programmer is to think and write down the results of thinking in some formalized form (code). How you will learn to think: developing the brain while studying mathematics or something else is up to you. The only important thing is that no super knowledge can replace the ability to think quickly and productively.

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Kindman, 2011-09-08
@Kindman

They usually go to the university with one goal - to get a reprieve from the army.
In general, you can go to any university and not worry, and learn programming on your own.
The main thing for a programmer is to be able to write programs that other people will then use.

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Alexey Firsov, 2011-09-09
@lesha_firs

a lot depends on what kind of programming you will teach.
Here is my experience. So I went to study as a programmer and the first teacher who taught me programming completely beat him off) he is certainly very smart, but he does not know how to explain. Well, for the first time, and almost everyone from the group was visited by doubts, it can outweigh somewhere, and then another teacher began to teach, who not only explains well and colorfully, but also gave really interesting tasks in practice. such as programming ATMs ...
In general, after this teacher, I myself began to search the Internet for articles, read books on programming, develop logic ... and then I came to the conclusion that mathematics is needed to move on, and when you drive your brain with logic puzzles with mathematics, you will simpler, it's an exact and logical science)
In general, my opinion is that the main thing is to have a desire to study, because as they say, "If you suffer for a long time, something will work out."
ps: if the teacher is the city of Khabarovsk - Anosova Svetlana Yurevna, then run away from her, she explains everything in one intonation.

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AJ, 2013-02-13
@2ball

There would be a desire. I was expelled from the institute six months later for Higher Mathematics. Already 8 years of successful programming. Sometimes it is difficult, but any algorithms can be learned and fundamentally understood. Complex calculations are rarely used now.

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