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When working with CSS/design I used subtraction, multiplication and division. When working with e-commerce/finance I used algebra. When making a 2d game I used

by z3t4 6y ago

When working with CSS/design I used subtraction, multiplication and division. When working with e-commerce/finance I used algebra. When making a 2d game I used geometry. When making a 3d engine I needed to learn about vector, matrices, etc. When working with weather forecasting there where formulas involving sin,cos,atan etc. So while you do not need math to get started in programming/development, you will definitely stumble on it. And you don't really know your math until you put the wrong formula into programs/production used by thousands of people.

GuB-42 6y ago
When you do design you need to know about typography, when you do finance, you need to know about accounting, when you are making a game, you need to know about game design, when you are doing weather forecasting, you need to know about meteorology. None of them are skills that a programmer needs unless he works in the field. Maths is the same. You need very little maths to code unless your field requires it. And even then, sometimes you don't even need to. I worked on a software that computed material fatigue with absolutely no idea about the maths involved, the mechanical engineers just told me the formulas and constants to use as well as the expected results and I implemented them. (not entirely true, but it was just personal curiosity, absolutely not required for the job).
PaulKeeble 6y ago
It definitely depends on the work you are doing. When working in aerospace I used maths a lot, 3D vector work as well as physics like velocity, acceleration, gravity simulations etc were all pretty important. I have also had roles where I suspect I never used much beyond basic addition and multiplication. But if your maths isn't there you are not going to be getting roles that are heavy on the fundamental maths problems. It is the same with algorithms. Some times a role is utilising the basics all the time and you rarely get passed some DB access, lists and maps. In others I have needed to build a Type 2 ary tree with lockless parallel access. I think what ends up happening is that most projects have some tough stuff and some have a lot more of it but you can contribute to those projects without knowing how to solve it because the bulk of most programming is fairly simple. But that deeper knowledge is needed by at least someone on the team at some point in time.
guenthert 6y ago
Reminds me of a buddy of mine working on a computer game. Gravity needed to be simulated -- easy enough, the formula is as basic as it gets. Results looked wrong to him though and he ended up using some trigonometric function instead ;-}
- dehrmann 6y ago
  Most games don't use 9.8 for g. There's also the bit about how Mario violates Newton's First Law when he changes direction mid-air, but don't let physics get in the way of fun.
  - mhh__ 6y ago
    Bunny hopping (https://youtu.be/SNvDUO42Hys?t=47 https://youtu.be/SNvDUO42Hys?t=47) is reliant on the player being able to play with their momentum without touching the ground

by z3t4 6y ago

GuB-42 6y ago

When you do design you need to know about typography, when you do finance, you need to know about accounting, when you are making a game, you need to know about game design, when you are doing weather forecasting, you need to know about meteorology. None of them are skills that a programmer needs unless he works in the field. Maths is the same. You need very little maths to code unless your field requires it. And even then, sometimes you don't even need to. I worked on a software that computed material fatigue with absolutely no idea about the maths involved, the mechanical engineers just told me the formulas and constants to use as well as the expected results and I implemented them. (not entirely true, but it was just personal curiosity, absolutely not required for the job).

PaulKeeble 6y ago

It definitely depends on the work you are doing. When working in aerospace I used maths a lot, 3D vector work as well as physics like velocity, acceleration, gravity simulations etc were all pretty important. I have also had roles where I suspect I never used much beyond basic addition and multiplication. But if your maths isn't there you are not going to be getting roles that are heavy on the fundamental maths problems. It is the same with algorithms. Some times a role is utilising the basics all the time and you rarely get passed some DB access, lists and maps. In others I have needed to build a Type 2 ary tree with lockless parallel access. I think what ends up happening is that most projects have some tough stuff and some have a lot more of it but you can contribute to those projects without knowing how to solve it because the bulk of most programming is fairly simple. But that deeper knowledge is needed by at least someone on the team at some point in time.

guenthert 6y ago

Reminds me of a buddy of mine working on a computer game. Gravity needed to be simulated -- easy enough, the formula is as basic as it gets. Results looked wrong to him though and he ended up using some trigonometric function instead ;-}

dehrmann 6y ago
Most games don't use 9.8 for g. There's also the bit about how Mario violates Newton's First Law when he changes direction mid-air, but don't let physics get in the way of fun.
- mhh__ 6y ago
  Bunny hopping (https://youtu.be/SNvDUO42Hys?t=47 https://youtu.be/SNvDUO42Hys?t=47) is reliant on the player being able to play with their momentum without touching the ground