Do you really need math to program?

[breebreebran31]

To get a BSE for software engineering you need discreet mathematics.
But do you actually need to know any of that stuff?
Why do I need to know polar coordinates or derivatives to write a program?
I most likely wouldnt do game programming.
So I dont see why anything else other than a calculator would need that.
Like Microsoft Powerpoint.
Did they need to know integrals to design that?
Or itunes.
Did they need to know how to find coordinates on a 3D plane to do that?

 

[strollin]

If you intend to program graphics then it is very mathematical. So is any kind of simulation.

 

[carnageX]

Depends on what you're wanting to program.

Basic math is needed, (adding, subtracting, division, multiplication) as well as modulus is needed but nothing too intense.

It's mostly trying to get you to think in a logical way to attempt to solve problems in the most logical way possible.

I'm a senior in my CS major and have had to to take a lot of math just because it's required by my school.

 

[kanch96]

it depends on what you are wanting to program!

 

[danhodge]

I am having to do Maths at A level (the British qualifications to get you in to University) in order to do Computer Science. It sucks, I hate it - but they require it, so I do it.

As everyone else said, it is the thought process of solving problems that seems to be most related to it.

Although I still don't think it should be a requirement. ICT isn't required, but Maths is. Slightly strange in my opinion.

 

[XGC Forsakend]

just piggy backing on what everyone else has said, it's just trying to teach you logic. Math follows it's own set of rules just as programming has it's own set of rules. They may not be similar in any way, but learning to manipulate things in such a way to get exactly what you want out of them without breaking said rules is crucial.

 

[Jasonic]

I think math is important because it gives the right mindset to tackle the problems of programming. it is not necessary in the strict sense, however, in my opinion can help in an indirect way when you will be a programmer. But i am agree that is not a fundamental requirement.

 

[MillField]

I'm in my third year of a BSc in Computer Science degree and I have done two pretty easy math modules. But unless you are doing graphical based programming I wouldn't think that math is too heavily involved. Having said that you should have some sort of a decent level of math.

 

[carnageX]

I'm in my third year of a BSc in Computer Science degree and I have done two pretty easy math modules. But unless you are doing graphical based programming I wouldn't think that math is too heavily involved. Having said that you should have some sort of a decent level of math.

Graphics, scientific level, or number-crunching would require a good grasp of math concepts. Those are just the ones off of the top of my head, though.

 

[ld762]

I'd say yes [and no] you need math but don't need full blown calculus or statistics or what have you to do it. It's boils down to logical thinking and math tends to show whether you have it or not.

You are not going to sit there all day long and do 1 + 2 = 3. Most of the time you'll be thinking, how do I solve this problem. You should only getting into serious math when you do some work involve scientific stuff like modelling the earth to find oil & gas and the likes.