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I had a similar experience, I took stats without calculus just because that was what was available/feasible in college, and eventually I took a more rigorous c

I had a similar experience, I took stats without calculus just because that was what was available/feasible in college, and eventually I took a more rigorous calculus based probability and stats course in my early 30s. Despite having to relearn my calculus, the difference in conceptual clarity was obvious from even the first lecture because the answer to “why does this work?” has a direct interpretation through calculus that you usually can’t get without calculus. Feels a lot like hiking: as you get more fit you also get access to more fun.

analog31 4y ago
Thinking more about this, my answer to "why learn calculus" is that so many ideas and tools of modern life are explained, and even relate to one another, through calculus. Without calculus, many simple things become unapproachable, or have to be approached by rote learning of formulas and rules. When in grad school, a friend of mine taught a freshman course on modern history, and in the first week he introduced a general outline of calculus. The students were surprised, but he explained that calculus is a thread woven through modern history thanks to the importance of science and technology.