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It helps if you are going to deal with the harder stuff. Graph Theory tends to help no end, Complexity Theory (which you should get taught in a CS class anyway)
by peterhi 18y ago
It helps if you are going to deal with the harder stuff. Graph Theory tends to help no end, Complexity Theory (which you should get taught in a CS class anyway) is pretty essential, as is Logic and Sets. If games interest you then you will need to understand basic physics and calculus.
Solving hard maths problems will grow the habbits needed to investigate problems when googling doesn't cut it. Infact anything that forces you to concentrate and be analytical would be good, so if you fancy studying biology then you will pick up some useful skills there.
Besides programmers tend to be better when they have interests and expertise beyond the field of computing.
You can get by with arithmetic if all you want to be is a Code Monkey / Web Developer / Java programmer. Just learn to use the tools that are given to you. But if you want to create the tools that other people use, if you want to write new code, then mathematics is going to help.
Seriously, until you know which area of computing you want to work in having the maths will offer you more options. Just remember that most of the fields of professional programming did not exist until a few years ago. When you graduate who knows what technology will be available, organic computers, optical computers, quantum computers? So learn the maths to the best of your ability and keep your options open.