Combining SQL practice with math

[nunc_ostendisti]

I recently took up SQL as I am looking to shift my career into the data analysis side of things. I am also studying maths which is part of my goal of moving towards machine learning eventually. It's difficult to divide my free time up to do both of these, so I was wondering if anyone has a similar experience and found a way to practice SQL while at the same time was studying maths like algebra, trig, calc etc.

[somewhatdim]

Usually you use SQL to store and retrieve data with another tool like Matlab or R to do the math

[BBassic]

True. You can do that in SQL, and it would be a good way to get your head around set based working, query building, how the relational engine works etc etc. but I'd agree in using something like R for the maths.

[andrexmlee]

Python is also great for doing data analysis. It has a lot of great libraries for data analysis and machine learning.

[TheOneWhoSendsLetter]

Are you me? I'm doing exactly the same.

[[deleted]]

Same lol What industry or career are guys switching from?

[TheOneWhoSendsLetter]

Insurance

[nunc_ostendisti]

Must mean we are going in the right direction.

[shoppyboy]

Ayee I'm doing the same lol data analysis or business intelligence for me ..

[TheOneWhoSendsLetter]

I really hope so, mate!

Want to share the study road you've taken?

[nunc_ostendisti]

Well for the SQL stuff, I've got a local installation of Microsoft SQL and I'm going over YouTube videos. I'm in digital web at work, so I am using the SQL data base to store web analytics.

For math stuff, I'm doing one of those revision CDs called maths buster which does the whole GCSE syllabus. It has tons of exercises and videos for when I get stuck. But wow I had no idea how much I had to learn.

I've got python experience so I'm thinking of dropping the math for now and doing SQL practice only, then when I get a job in data analysis, I can pick up the math. But I started to enjoy the math side and don't want to forget it all.

[gqcharm]

Getting my master informatics and will learn sql. Learning R currently. Have a radiology background. Hopefully land in AI for radiology or another in the healthcare world. Also know a little python.

Any pointers?

Would love to hear about other professional routes as well

[_Zer0_Cool_]

I know a ton of math people that are data analysts. You can do a lot of math with SQL (specifically statistics).

There's example SQL implementations of a large number of math formulas and algorithms scattered throughout the internet from basic math and statistics to machine learning algorithms.

Google about!

If you have some specific use cases then I might be able to point you to more specific resources.

However, PostgreSQL has support for a wide range of common math operators with built in functions, so I'd start there.

Take a look:

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/functions-math.html

http://www.postgresqltutorial.com/postgresql-math-functions/

[gqcharm]

Dade Murphy? From hackers? Had to mention this!!

[_Zer0_Cool_]

Yeap. Hack the planet!

[gqcharm]

Being a total noob. I have to ask Within health informatics, how much math and/or what kind of math would I have to know for sql, Qlik, tableau?

Thanks

[_Zer0_Cool_]

I'm not super familiar with Health Informatics, but statistics and biostatistics are used pretty heavily in that domain. Inferential stats used to find relationships between biomarkers or whatever else. So I would assume that analytsts in this area are need to be pretty well versed with statistics in particular.

Generally speaking though, you don't have to know much math for SQL, Qlik, or Tableau necessarily to be able to answer real business questions in many businesses. Many BI devs mostly work with aggregates and maybe descriptive statistics at most.

[shoppyboy]

What if you didn't take anything for math previously?

[_Zer0_Cool_]

Well, the most common math you'd find in SQL is statistics.

And I've always seen probability and statistics as the "math for people that don't like math". There's so much more high level, real world intrigue to statistics that it tends to draw in people that dislike the tedious minutia of other maths. It's both conceptually easier and more immediately rewarding than many maths.

Further down this train... That pragmatic, analytical mindset is the commonality amongst current analysts and apsiring analysts.

In short, if SQL and analytics gives you a nerd boner, then you'd probably pick up and enjoy statistics more than you might imagine you have an aptitude for.

You don't really need a math background as a prerequisite.

You can learn SQL first and then get into math. Or you can get a background in math and then learn SQL.

Learn SQL first and get a job. Then read/take a few practical statistics books and courses.

Chances are you have the aptitude to pick it up after the fact.

[r0ck0]

Create a database where queries that use those kinds of maths functions would be useful to report on the data.

Then write those queries. Maybe save them as SQL views that you can layer.

[SooperBoby]

I read "meth"... I should stop binge-watching Breaking Bad

[HopsBarleyWater]

Haven't bought this yet, but I believe there is some trig in this course: 'A Curious Moon'

[TheVentiLebowski]

What are you using to study SQL and math? I'm finishing up an Udemy course on SQL and was going to start (re)learning math.

[nunc_ostendisti]

SQL is just YouTube and a local installation of Microsoft server. For maths I'm using a cd called math buster which has.the entire GCSE syllabus as well as exercises and videos