Learning to program involves a lot of Googling, logic, and trial-and-error—but almost nothing beyond fourth-grade arithmetic. There is a big misconception that you need to be good at math to be good at coding. But writing code is about writing code – not mathematical formulas. Basic algebra is needed, but only the basics that you learned in school. Game development is one area that does require additional knowledge, such as trigonometry and physics. But even in the development of games, there are plugins and libraries you can use to figure out these mathematical problems.
It turns out the only math skills you need to start learning to code and even to be successful professionally are the most basic ones: addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc. “You don’t need to know any of complex numbers, probability, equations, graphs, exponential and logarithm, limits, derivatives, integration, differential equations and so on,” promises independent developer Flavio Copes. (And it’s a good thing because we don’t know what most of those words mean.)
Instead, you need to be a logical thinker, interested in solving problems and building applications for use in the real world, says programmer and technologist Emma Mulqueeny. “Thinking logically and conceptually is far more important.”
So who cares if you were good at math in high school? Start learning to code today—no math skills required.
To be a full–time programmer is not to be a gifted mathematician. You don’t need to know how to calculate the slope of an orthogonal trajectory to know how to code. You don’t have to even know what this means. To learn how to become a software developer, you need to know basic algebra and practice strong problem–solving skills. Other than these two prerequisites, the degree of math you need to know is highly dependent on the project you are working on. For example, if you’re designing user interfaces with a front–end framework like Twitter Bootstrap, you’ll barely use any math – at a minimum, you need to be able to count pixels. In contrast, if the project specifically requires certain mathematical functionality, then yes, you will need to know some math. Overall, you don’t need to know advanced math to become a programmer; but if you end–up having to use it, it’s due to either the nature of your employer or the project that landed on your desk, not the career as a whole. Until recently, I believed math and coding to be intertwined so intensely that you had to excel at one to be proficient at the other.
To be clear: it definitely can’t hurt to be good at math. And, if you’re getting a Computer Science degree, Calculus is usually a required course.
That said, the underlying connection between math and computer science isn’t just numbers: it’s problem-solving. Both fields, at their core, revolve around understanding and recognizing patterns, and effectively using complex logic. Of course, programmers work with algorithms, but at its foundation, algorithms are solutions to logic problems. In the long run, the opinion of yourself being "not good at math" is a hindrance that will ultimately hold you back.
If you continue to learn to program you will eventually come across math you don't understand. If you think "I'm not good at math" you won't challenge yourself to learn how to work it out and your skill growth will stop there. Even if you struggle with math now, you need an attitude adjustment about math. Good code starts with good design. Your ability to problem-solve is much more important than your ability to do the math.
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