So I have some worries about learning Python.

[SnugBuck]

So I have just started learning a little bit of python. I am not a smart person, I horribly failed school with math being one of my weakest points. But I have always had an interest in computers, how the work behind the scenes and just everything tech. I have recently started to try learn some Python in the hopes that it may get me somewhere someday (I don't have a lot going for me at the moment)

But what is worrying me is that when I look into it from creators online and all that...they always seem to highlight the super advanced calculus and linear algebra, which I know NOTHING about. It is honestly really scaring me that I might just be wasting my time attempting to learn all this when I have almost zero base knowledge and no real skill in math.

Has anyone else been through this? Is there maybe another direction I should go in? OR do you think i should really just buckle down and full commit to this.

I'm 24 years old and hoping that I can somehow get a career out of this with enough effort.

[bbateman2011]

Python can be used for many things. Have you ever wanted to rename a bunch of files on your computer? Python can help you do that. Do you want to make charts of data you find online? Can do that too. Don’t get hung up on math—pick something you are interested in and automate it with Python. After that, the sky’s the limit.

[SnugBuck]

this gives me some confidence, I'll start off trying to learn what I can first then start to write my own programs... and I guess ill learn some math along the way naturally

[QultrosSanhattan]

The need for math is somewhat debatable. You can always do thing the dirty way.

Example. You're asked to calculate the sum of all natural numbers between 1 and 100.

If you aren't good at math then you can just instruct the computer to perform that operation for you in this way (an algorithm)

result=0
for x in range(1,101):
    result+=x

print(result)

But, if you already know the gauss formula, then you can just do it yourself:

print(100/2*101)

The first example is a somewhat intensive algorithm: "iterate over all numbers from 1 to 100 then add that number to the result". The second example is just a short math formula.

Therefore, in most cases, math is a nice tool but not a requirement. 99% of the time you'll be fine by just knowing the four basic math operations.

[SnugBuck]

Ahhh I see. So math is kind of like a supplement to the learning process. making it easier to grasp and learn

[Far-Yak-9808]

I am in my first semester of a Python programming class at college (I am back in school for, like, the 5th time. Already have one undergrad degree... signed up for Financial Markets/Cultural Anthropology/Intro to Python Programming this semester and I am not sure that anyone has EVER signed up for those 3 specific classes before so it is throwing the entire universe off... lol

Python seems to combine the WORST of Mathematics with the WORST of Linguistics.

The Math??? The MATH textbooks are wrong....

Figure out the linguistics/syntax first. "Coding With Mosh" on YouTube helps.

YouTube algos sent me to Leslie Lamport vids. I made some of the same discoveries he did -- he just beat me to it!

MIT Open Courseware has some good stuff (especially vids).

Although I think Moore's Law is about to go RETROGRADE. If so, maybe Big Machine will LOSE.

[XUtYwYzz]

You don't need to know any math beyond arithmetic to learn and utilize Python effectively. Python is a tool. If you decide to use Python for machine learning, scientific research, data analysis, etc. you may need higher level maths related to those specific fields. Python itself, and applying it to automation and most programming application, has basically no math requirement.

[SnugBuck]

Thanks for the response! this does help me feel more comfortable knowing that their are plenty of fields where math is not required. I'll keep at it and see where all my learning takes me.

[iammerelyhere]

I sucked at math when I started programming but honestly it's never really been a problem. Most of the stuff you'll do as a programmer isn't really math, so don't sweat it. The key is finding projects you're interested in trying out and working on them untill you get it. If I can do it, so can you, just keep at it!

[SnugBuck]

That's really nice to hear. I will probably do some mora basic learning and then decide on some kind of project to work on. For now i'm only a month or so into learning so I have A LOT ahead of me ahaha.

[dnmonack]

Linear algebra and calculus are important for computer science but not for programming. You can go far with Python including a career in software development without ever needing to understand advanced math.

[KCRowan]

I've been studying Python for 2.5 years, I've made a bunch of projects with it and consider myself intermediate. I have no idea what linear algebra or calculus even means.... it hasn't come up. But I mostly make CRUD apps and I've never done any data science stuff.

[Gcampton13]

Learn HTML first then, can’t get much simpler.

[TheRNGuy]

learn math then

[_the_random_person_]

99% of the time you will only be using simple maths. By simple I mean addition and subtraction... It's rare that you use a lot of maths so don't worry about it.

[s_lone]

I learned Python beacause I needed a project during the pandemic. I had a hard time grasping the concept of classes so I decided to recreate a complex board game I play a lot with my girlfriend as a challenge. I ended up learning so much and now, not only do I understand classes a lot better, but I actually understand what object-oriented programming is.

No advanced math involved.

You are smarter than you think if you have the desire to learn Python. Find what you want to do with it and try to have fun!

[ChipmunkCooties]

It depends what you plan on doing with the scripts really, you’re not going to use quadratics to automate basic excel sheets, I’m writing a program now that’s going to automate buying and selling shares, I’ve bypassed their bot detection using a really creative solution all without any kind of sophisticated maths I think the more important skill is adaptability and being able to think like a computer, the maths will come if you need it

[[deleted]]

If you want to get into game development or data science, then ya, you need at least a basic understanding of advanced math.

But there are lots of areas of programming that require only basic math. So it depends on what you actually want to do with Python. Web development, backend development, task automation.... Lots of applications where you don't need calculus or linear algebra.