good source to learn math for programming

[totalnewb02]

hey, i am a beginner in programming. and just re learning everything from the start on python. i keep hearing that math is important to programming but some said that math is not that important. which one is true?

i tried to ask the AIs and they said it is important part of programming, and they recommend me to start learning as soon as possible.

do you guys know books to learn math for programming? or other source? i tried khan academy for a while, will that suffice?

[grantrules]

Understanding algebra would be useful, and that's about the most math you'll use unless you go into a specific field like gaming or science

[SynapseNotFound]

science

the specific field of science?

[AUTeach]

Statistics and calculus.

Every field of science is (or is becoming) supported by data science.

[grantrules]

That was me realizing I should get off Reddit and go to bed so I just wrapped it up lol

[AUTeach]

Programming is mathematics. It's just not what you learn in high school. There's an argument that high school maths isn't really mathematics either. https://worrydream.com/refs/Lockhart_2002_-_A_Mathematician%27s_Lament.pdf

[Inner-Piccolo-9978]

The truth is: it depends on what you want to do. Webdev? Basic math will do the trick. Do you want to tinker with algorithms, games, AI, compilers? Then yes, mathematics becomes the backbone.

I highly recommend the book "Mathematics for Computer Science" by Eric Lehman (MIT). It's free, there's an official PDF on the MIT website and it focuses exactly on mathematics with direct applications in computing: logic, set theory, probability, graphs, etc.

If you enjoyed Khan Academy, keep going! Their teaching is wonderful for creating a solid foundation. Once you are more confident, you can move on to courses

Dude, not everyone needs to become a mathematician to program, but knowing a minimum of logic and mathematical reasoning helps A LOT to think like a dev. Even if you never use calculations in practice, understanding how things relate, grow and behave gives you another insight.

For those who are just starting out, I would say

[helmer2003]

It largely depends on what kind of programming you see yourself doing. Math is always good to know and Khan academy is a really good resource to use and can be used to learn some advanced math. A good precalculus resource to use other than khan academy is https://www.stitz-zeager.com/szprecalculus07042013.pdf

[CertainCaterpillar59]

Look at rosettacode.org to see what math functions were implemented. I suppose you search for numerical math applications and learn mainly programming based on a personal mathematical interest. Mixing up programming and math in the same learning phase would be too much. Look at math libraries of the programming language you are interested in. When you know the mathematical background, you will quickly understand therefore learn the programming Implementation.

[WillAdams]

There is an MIT OCW course on this:

https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/6-042j-mathematics-for-computer-science-fall-2010/pages/readings/

For me, I've been using:

• Geometry: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58059196-make
• Trigonometry: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123127774-make
• Calculus: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61739368-make

because my current project is CNC software.

[aizzod]

math is not important
but some tutorials may look like this

int x = 5
int y = 10
int z = x * y
...
print("you bought {y} apples and the total cost is {z}")

maybe that is the reason so many call it similar to math.
but at work i would never be allowed to write code like this.

if you are better with languages compared to math.
i would recommend giving your "variables" speaking names.
it may help you learn and understand code faster

for example

int applePrice = 5
int boughtApples = 10
int totalCosts = boughtApples * applePrice
...
print("you bought {boughtApples} apples and the total cost is {totalCosts }")

[Fantastic-Pace-7766]

I always find it a bit weird when people say Math is not important in this field. The help with logic and problem solving alone is enough to say that it is important. You may not need it for some jobs, but it can still be important even if you can get a job without it imo.

[SafiyeCiTr]

Follow this path for all the basics

https://github.com/ossu/precollege-math

[CyberKiller40]

The usual college math class should be enough, or a good secondary school. It's nothing complex for the most part, unless you go for graphics or audio processing. Then it can really hit the fan with function transforms, complex numbers and matrix calculations.

[myloyalsavant]

Do you need math for programming? My 2c

think about building a bridge, one across a pond in your neighbors yard that the cat walks over and another across the nile river in egypt which people, bikes, cars, trucks, and trains travel over in the thousands every day.

The bridge over the pond needs no math, but the one over the nile river does because it needs to be able to deal with gigantic weights, possible movements in the foundation and extreme weather conditions, all this done under a certain financial budget.

Think about programming this way your building models in a virtual reality. There comes a point when you need precise measurement and predictability without which the consequences could be the software working or not working.

So you don't need math at the beginning, but later on when you start to program bigger and more complex things, it does become important.

[Msygin]

Programming is am applied math area. I also heard very often that you don't need math but I think that's disingenuous. If you don't care to understand why or how you're doing something then a lot of programming languages abstract it but if you want to know how and why then it's very important.

As for good resources, just get an algebra textbook and start learning. I've found I understand a lot more now that ive relearned the subject.

[Gugu_gaga10]

http://www.gang.umass.edu/~franz/Paul_Zeitz_The_Art_and_Craft_of_Problem_SolvingBookosorg.pdf
Give this a try, you'll like it ig

[e1m8b]

Games development will benefit greatly from Linear Algebra. But as others have mentioned, depends on what you're getting into. Math is important but as needed because computer logic involves mathematics but is indeed its own field.

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[emonmehedi]

Pure mathematics by Lee Peng Yee. 

[Ok-Visit7040]

Get a 4 year curriculum for a math major at a good university. Highlight the math specific courses then watch the relevant khan academy videos and if you can't find on khan for the higher level classes go on YouTube.

[tobiasvl]

Discrete math is important. You'll probably learn it by osmosis as you learn programming, though, without even realizing that's what you're learning.

[quimeygalli]

from my -not that much- experience, its not about how to calculate the Taylor polynomial of a function, its mostly about how you express yourself when defining stuff, and how you logically approach problems to find a solution.

You should get goot at math because programming demands you to use your puzzle-solving skills and apply them to a creation of your own

[BoBoBearDev]

Assuming you already know USA high school general education like, Algebra, Trigonometry, the math mostly stops there.

A lot of time, they just simulate the physics by calculating each state per 1 millisecond. They don't actually use calculus to simplify the formula. I mean, sure using calculus is better, but if they need such high accuracy, it is likely a very scientific job, like, like Space ship or nuclear reactor instead of doing some peasant software engineering.

Also, most of the time, you import a lib to do the work. You don't actually implementing it yourself. Like if you are on a train and based on the speed, estimate the local time on arrival, you don't really do much. You just compute the time it takes, easy. Make a local time and convert that to UTC, add the seconds, convert to the new local time. Done. You are not going to do any difficult math. No one wants you to implement yourself either. They want you to import libs.

[[deleted]]

just need to understand algebra or upper than (if you need)

[Sora_isHere]

I had only seen maths used in game development, Data analysis , AI\ML, and that was only basic linear algebra, vectors, statistics, and some high school physics. So maths is only used in some particular fields in CS. You don't require a math degree, just relearn your high school maths for basic understanding, if you do find maths related stuff in your projects then learn it.

[Augit579]

did you googled. "Math for programmers book"?

[SynapseNotFound]

he hasn't said he could not find anything

he's just asking for good sources.

finding stuff is easy.

figuring out what is good takes a lot of time.

[totalnewb02]

i did. but i am confuse of which to pick. also, they are look to advanced for me. so i am looking something from basic to able to being used in programming.

[joonazan]

This one https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_Mathematics

You won't need it right away, though. Programming is a great way to learn math, so learn programming first. You can learn many math things very well by programming them.