Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / NewStats: 3,195,466 members, 7,958,412 topics. Date: Wednesday, 25 September 2024 at 02:00 PM |
Nairaland Forum / Science/Technology / Programming / Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer (13790 Views)
Nairaland Has Changed My Name From Pc Guru To Pcguru1 / I Don't Need Math / Have Problem Finding My Database; A Java Guru To Assist (2) (3) (4)
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (Reply) (Go Down)
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 3:42pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
IbroSaunks:Lol, The truth is that you can do calculation with programs. All of mathematics operations can be carried out in computer programming only that they are slightly done in many cases. The operators and operands, Variable assignment, values, Statements, etc are done in slight different ways from general mathematics for the computer interpreters to be able to understand them and execute them. Algorithms is not actually a formula for programming like there are formulas in mathematics, it is analytic way to tell a computer to perform a task for you rather a way to solve a problem. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by canadaik(m): 4:08pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
from my experience, basic maths solving skills are needed like knowing 1/1000, 2/100 without consulting a calculator. most importantly a flexible mind and strong abilities for problem solving is needed |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by IbroSaunks(m): 4:45pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
my point was, that to diffentiate an expression of that form, it is a rule to use that formula. On the other hand, if you're told to write a program that calculates the lcm of 3 numbers, there would definitely be different approaches, though some would be faster than others by a few milliseconds. Some may be better suited for smaller numbers. But there is no rule, no convention (maybe except in naming variables and methods), which makes it an art of some sort. therefore, it requires more creativity. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by baaliyah(m): 5:00pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
You need to be good in Maths to be a good programmer but you may not necessarilly be a Guru. If you start showing intererst and luckily u become a Guru, sky will be your limit. I always believe the most logical and smart people have mathematical knowledge. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nnaemiemax: 5:57pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
guonno: GREAT!! Concise and on point!!! |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 6:03pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
Someone said will have a library of functions to call, who wrote those functions? is it not programmers? I think i get the point, some people want to be doing low-budget programming - download all scripts and libraries, so if there is no library or you want to do a new application that requires its own unique formulars and stuffs, it is impossible eh? I have some experience in application programming, before i retired to web apps, and i can say that maths is a must to get to some levels. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Kobojunkie: 6:24pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
IbroSaunks: IbroSaunks: Learning is a life long process , and it does not hurt to have maths skills, even advanced skills. Like I said, if you are looking to focusing a lot more in designing of algorithms then you will not go wrong with brushing up on your maths skills (Asymptotics, Calculus, Differential equations, etc.). Even if you want to remain a run-of-the-mill programmer, having maths skills still will help put you up above the rest. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Wallie(m): 6:25pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
*dhtml: You missed the context of my post. It was in response to a guy arguing about the accuracy of algorithms. My point is that even if you encounter such an equation in a programming problem, you will probably just call a function. However, even then, it will probably be for a subset of your calculations/manipulations. Also, calling a function is easy but is your answer correct? You have to understand the function and data well enough to pass it in as an input in the right format. Think about having a multi-dimensional data as an input into a function. Bottom line, you need math; it’s just a question of how much! |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Bossman(m): 6:31pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
In my opinion, to be very successful at it, you have to at least like mathematics. As for being a guru, it really depends on what your definition of guru is. One thing is for sure, if you do NOT like math/problem solving, programming is definitely not for you. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Beaf: 6:36pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
afam4eva: Why na? I'm good at math and I basically write algorithms for a living; so I'm always looking up math ideas to compliment my code and after years of doing it, it has occurred to me that even highest applied math is very easily and naturally expressed in code. Loops for example, are calculus on steroids; with loops, you could do everything calculus can do and a World of stuff calculus cannot dream off; and its the same in all other areas of math. In math you have strict grey-bearded conventions, whereas in programming there is a natural and easily comprehensible logical flow. Because code is written in natural language and algorithms mimic the real World, a programmer can do every last thing a mathematician can do, but a mathematician cannot do the half a programmer can. Therefore, it is better to replace math with programming. In fact it is easy to predict that our grandchildren will not study math, instead they would study scientific computing. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by IbroSaunks(m): 6:49pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
Kobojunkie:i had agreed with you since, its impossible to go through computer - science here without doing some math, |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 7:18pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
yes you need maths and a lot of logical reasoning. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Phemmmy(m): 7:42pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
What without mathematics are you programming without good mathematical knowledge. The fact remains that one needs to be versatile. 90% of one's task as a programmer involves mathematics. Think of the 3dimensional diagram and lots more. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by IbroSaunks(m): 7:52pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
Its obvious that one would need maths to be a good programmer. I even mentioned that computer -science as a whole is a branch of applied math. The question is if one needs to be a GURU, i.e. if one needs to b, like really really good at it, |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Kay1kay1(m): 9:18pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
An above average knowledge of mathematics (including abstract mathematics) could enhance programming skills. Otherwise, one becomes a programmer who gets stuck every now and then - this makes programming fun wane as a result. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Sagamite(m): 11:23pm On Dec 27, 2011 |
@topic Hell No! Maths has hardly anything to do with programming. There are applications that need maths ability but not all. It is good to know maths for programming but you surely don't have to be a maths guru. What you need for programming is worldly experience & observation, aptitude for systems thinking (i.e. thinking about how different modules in a system interact and work together efficiently) and how systems will be and can be used. Good programmers have comprehensive thinking. They are gurus in understanding the total possible usage and using style of a system by people. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by okeyxyz(m): 12:02am On Dec 28, 2011 |
like somebody has already commented: computer science & programming is applied maths, but given that virtually all libraries required to build nearly any project\programme to solve life's problems has been written & freely available, then u don't need to be a maths guru in order to make a living programming. but for the guys who actually developed the systems & environments that we all play with in the name of programming, they definitely need to be very good in maths. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 6:25am On Dec 28, 2011 |
^^^I believe some of you people talking are talking based on theory and have not really developed professional applications. If we are talking of learning programming and using functions and libraries - then you dont need to be a maths guru. But to be a good programmer, is a different thing entirely. I believe that a good programmer should not be handicapped when it comes to maths or whatever. My programming master for instance develop banking applications, so maths libraries will assist and do all the work for him eh? |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 6:38am On Dec 28, 2011 |
Nnaemiemax:If you began to debug that simple program you would find out that the statement is not wrong but the names are not properly addressed for the interpreter not to generate error messages. It might be concise but there are errors already that I can see - that is the reasoning side to it.The mathematical side of it is basically about calculations. General mathematics is good but being a guru is an advantage. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 7:32am On Dec 28, 2011 |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 7:35am On Dec 28, 2011 |
^^^ It means I must defaecate on my pants before I can know that it smell horribly bad?(it is rhetoric). |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by IbroSaunks(m): 8:33am On Dec 28, 2011 |
@Omo_to_dun, how am I supposed to see ur post from far away if u don't use ur signature font? |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Kobojunkie: 8:39am On Dec 28, 2011 |
*dhtml: All Programmers are not equal a) there is your run-of-the-mill web developer who happens to build forms using existing libraries and open source ware where much of the real brainwork, and core functionality has already been coded. b) there are those who rely to a great deal on Math libraries to accomplish many of the work they need done. We are talking people who probably work on banking applications e.g calculating totals, summations etc. c) then there are those who do serious programming, develop core libraries, APIs and handle such problem as ensuring that code produced is optimized. These people need to research topics to find applicable formulas, and then code up the best algorithm to calculate final results and what not. e.g, those who work in security , or the guys who came up with the Page Rank algorithm that Google currently uses. You cannot tell me you are working as such companies as Google, Argonne-labs, NIH, Lockheed Martin, Texas Instrument, etc (not simply slapping together their web site) building their core infrastructure, and without maths skills. Do a Google search on Google Company interview Questions for Programmers, and you will be shocked to note how it math laden the interview questions are for them. It is a similar case in other engineering fields. I suspect that what you consider some aspects of computing theory because you have not been exposed to other more involved areas in programming yourself. And this is the case with majority of programmers out there. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 8:54am On Dec 28, 2011 |
all4naija:Lmao. Come on guys, no need to show our proGRAMMER skills here. A good programmer may not necessarily be a math guru, but a developer should definitely have above average math skills. The mason Vs the architect Let's stop repeating ourselves in different ways, |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by IbroSaunks(m): 8:59am On Dec 28, 2011 |
i just thought i should post this , after i did that google search kobojunkie said *ellipsis* http://www.impactinterview.com/2009/10/140-google-interview-questions/ |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 9:35am On Dec 28, 2011 |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by IbroSaunks(m): 10:06am On Dec 28, 2011 |
omo_to_dun: |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 10:08am On Dec 28, 2011 |
Pls for once can we let a good post end a thread? Not mine, omo_to_dun's, |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 10:25am On Dec 28, 2011 |
^^^ In your rambling mind we shouldn't air our views because you think one person can make a decision that is acceptable to all. Please,spare me that aged perception.Most of us know Google exist for information search and your mentor don't have to remind us of the mantra. Thank you. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Kobojunkie: 10:30am On Dec 28, 2011 |
I think it is time to let people who do not already know that logic in programming is a branch of mathematics. IbroSaunks: That is a pretty good link there. |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by Nobody: 11:16am On Dec 28, 2011 |
all4naija:All4naija abi all4Mumu, wetin dey make you vex today? |
Re: Do You Need To Be A Math Guru To Be A Good Programmer by kaboninc(m): 1:10pm On Dec 28, 2011 |
Hi Kobo, you sound like someone who is well informed about computer science. Please I need your help o. |
Thinking Of Dropping Out Of College To Focus On Programming / Programming Is just Like Playing Football / Keywords / Reserved word In Q-BASIC
(Go Up)
Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 47 |