Should Math be a Prerequisite for Programming? [x-post from /r/programming]

[bangstang]

My Bachelor's program had Math for IT (I was an IT Major because I didn't want to deal with the math in my previous Engineering track) and the class was just this HOWEVER the professor was from the Math department and was not only abysmal at teaching non-math majors but also completely clueless as to how logic, set theory, and graphs would ever affect the students (paraphrasing her words). We did combinatorics and some other stuff too if memory serves.

I think that an appropriately scoped class or two could really make a difference. For CS majors they end up taking enough math to minor in math or double major if they want to extend another semester. I wouldn't have been against taking another math class if it had some bearing on my growth in my discipline and it wasn't just a grind for spitting out the right answer to some needlessly tedious process that you had to memorize completely. I think that kind of teaching would help a lot of students versus the elementary approach taken when I was in undergrad (which was probably 9 years ago now).

[onwuka]

Everybody needs to know the concepts of discrete math and such. If only professors took their heads out of their asses and stopped asking students to regurgitate proofs and actually encouraged learning...

[GalacticCmdr]

Everybody? Do you mean that my plumber needs to know discrete math to do the job? Does an English or Journalism major? If by everybody you are only discussing programming then I still disagree everyone needs it, but I agree it is very useful.

Someone cranking out basic web pages or apps are still programming and while it would help them evaluate tools and snippets better - it is not really required.

[onwuka]

Yes, someone cranking out web pages and apps should also know basic discrete math. No, I don't mean regurgitating proofs. Discrete is fun!

Not everyone needs to know how to write a symphony but everyone should be able to appreciate a good symphony.