I have always loved computers and want to go into programming so bad that it hurts but I am not very good at math. Will my love of wanting to be a programmer help me through it or will I never be a good programmer if I'm not good at math?
by 
Zombie69
ANSWERS: 10
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I think of math skills, like any part of the brain, as a muscle. The more you use it the stronger it'll get. I found that learning programming helped my math skills, and my improved math skills helped my programming.
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I don't really use math in my job (ASP.Net, VB, SQL)... I don't even see them (for my case) as using the same "brain muscles" - programming is more like creative writing for me. You do have to be detail-oriented and be able to focus, and ferret things out logically.
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It depends what kind of programming you want to do. A lot of application development doesn't really require a lot of mathematical programming, however some does. avallach JSAIMU Is right though, the more you program, and the more maths you do, the better you'll get at it.
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mmm just to add to whats been said. Id say that prgramming in most areas only requires that u understand the logic in math.(there is NO logic in maths its self) but for example programming using binarry logic concepts and sum trig functions ect..To be honest im NO good at maths itself But programing is alot more logic its like a swith that just turns on.. Id say that the most difficult maths conceots come in when you are a game dev or you design 3d Engines...I might be wrong there but from experiance ill stick to what i have said.
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Math isn't needed. Programming is all about logic and syntax. In that way, programming is similar to math, but not the same. One key difference is that while math has a set of rules that is fairly rigid, programming is a bit more artistic and allows many ways to achieve a given outcome that cannot be considered wrong, though some solutions are more elegant. Like math, there are rules and some of those rules can be arcane depending on your language of choice, but don't let that stop you. Personally, I am pretty decent at math and can follow the LOGIC of programming but cannot get the SYNTAX down well enough to write code. I lack the linguistic aptitude to learn a new set of grammatical rules so I can't effectively learn any language (other than English) whether it is spoken, written, or programming. If you have linguistic flexibility and an aptitude for both logical and lateral thinking you may become a better programmer than any math g33k could ever hope to be.
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If you could elaborate on what fields of math you have problems with, a more specific answer would be available. For example, if you have trouble understanding concepts in algebra (variables and algorithms, substitution, etc...) it will be a difficult journey. Not impossible, but more difficult. On the other hand, if you have trouble with calculus or trigonometry, or even just mental math, it will matter very little until you start working on visual games, or math programs. It is also possible that you, like me, are just slow at math. Just because you finish the problem a few minutes after the rest of the class does not mean you are bad at math.
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Gone are the days when Mathematicians like me ruled computer hardware and software. I have taught computer programming to Artists, Lawyers, pre K children, houswives and Priests. Today's super languages do not require traditional Mathematics to programme, unless of course, you wish to develop Algorithms for Target Identification and shooting it down, in space or sit with stargazers ... Mathematical Astronomy ... or Lab rats ... Genetics and so on. Go and learn LisP. You will be a great computer programmer. You will feel 12 feet tall after you have tamed the 'beast'. Good luck.
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From the little programming that i have done maths isnt really a big part of it, its more to do with the fact that you can understand the coding and understand how it works inside the complier and have a good "logicial" brain
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Programming hasn't been about math for years. Back in the day of assembly language programming, you needed to be pretty good at math, juggling binary, decimal and hexidecimal numbers around all the time. Those programming for the 8086 and later x86 microprocessors had to worry about indexed offsets and domains which required a lot of math brought to the table. But now, with high level languages like Pascal, ADA, C++ and even xml languages like Cold Fusion, it's all about syntax and defining. Math rarely comes into the picture. I wouldn't worry about Math, aside from the practice in thinking logically, Math won't help a bit. Hope this helps.
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I agree with everybody who say that math skills are not relevant in writing a computer program. Some analytical mind helps a lot, though and focus on the goal, what the program is supposed to accomplish. The math is done by the processor with the compiler or interpreter as a bridge between you and the operating system (software) that leads to the hardware.
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