in reply to Programming and math

Quite simple really:

  1. Depends what you're programming.
  2. Yes, but most people don't get that far anyways.
  3. Definately yes.

Common rule: the higher level of abstraction, the less you need to know. Executable pseudo-code requires less knowledge to program effectively in than portable assembler. The more theoretical the work, the more a math background helps. And if you want to mathematically prove your code is correct, then you'll definately need at least an undergrad level of understanding.

Don't forget the old saying: biologists want to think they're chemists, chemists want to think they're physicists, and physicists want to think they're mathematicians. Personally I don't think computer scientists really exist, they're just script kiddies who are starting to learn math ;-)

The only advantage in making computers understand English is that it will prove once and for all that programmers can't write English. - Mike Taylor

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Re: Re: Programming and math
by Anonymous Monk on Aug 09, 2003 at 21:33 UTC

    I forgot something: whenever you ask a question like this you'll get two types of answers:

    1. It's very important if you want to fully comprehend what your code is doing. - These are the people who study math.
    2. It's not that important as long as you think logically. - These are the people who haven't studied math.

    So it all comes down to who you want to believe: the arrogant mathematicians who are trying to artificially inflate what they do, or the non-mathematicians who are commenting on something they don't fully understand :).

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