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> The fact that you don't use the knowledge gained in a particular course does not make that course worthless. Thank you! It irritates me so much to see people

• scarface74 8y ago
  Why is the thought that some people see software development as nothing more than a way to get money put in their account a couple of times a month so reprehensible to you? Yeah I started out as a computer geek over thirty years ago in my bedroom doing assembly language. But anytime I spend learning anything at this stage in life is with the goal of making money.
• mbell 8y ago
  For reference: I finished AP Calc AB (derivative calc) and BC (integral calc) my junior year in high school, audited multi-variable calc at a local college my senior year in high school (and tested out of it in real college freshman year). Also took AP Stats in high school. Took linear algebra and diff eq my freshman year in college at which point I was done with math classes for my major (electrical engineering /w CE emphasis). I'm certainly no math prodigy, but I'm not bad at math and find it pretty easy. Yet...I don't use much of any of this in programming, it's mostly just not applicable. Calc is vaguely useful in the sense that understanding at a high level what derivatives/integrals are is a good thing to know, but if you tossed an AP calc exam in my face I would fail it. The most important ideas there (rates of change) are not hard to teach without the rigor of calculous. You don't have to pass calc 3 to have an idea of rates of change or gradient decent. These are pretty simple ideas you can explain to almost anyone as long as you avoid math jargon and get to the point.