How important is math ability in computer science and engineering?
If I'm mediocre at math should I still go for it?
What kind of job in the engineering/computer field should I consider if I'm bad at math anyway?
Also STEM threadi-if you want
if you go into software engineering instead of computer science you probably won't have to do as much advanced math
at most schools you'll at least have to take all of calculus either way, and possibly something like a probability, discrete mathematics, and/or theory of computation class
>>27336287
It's one of the more math-intensive degrees.
if you're bad at math i would recommend taking something like an IT course if it's available, or systems administration, which is less focused on code and more on managing servers and other hardware
>>27336342
Thank you for the advice. How in demand do you think software engineers are in comparison to other computer related fields?
>>27336362
I fucking love computers but I'm meh at math.
Life sucks.
>>27336392
software engineers and computer scientists typically end up at similar jobs really, there's not a lot of practical difference
academically, computer science is more theory and math, while software engineering is more pragmatic
>>27336287
I got a C in GCSE math yet I'm doing a Bsc in Computer Science. You can pick it up.
IMO with Computer Science basics it's more about applying math principles and learning new formulas than all that obscure shit you did in school.
>>27336380
You still need decent math skills and a math-like mind. At least for something like network administration
>>27336392
>I fucking love computers
Then get into a career that works -with- computers, rather than computers being the work itself.
>>27336362
Don't listen to this noob
Understand basic algorithms, op.
Every gondola thread deserves a reply.
>How important is math ability in computer science and engineering?
Extremely.
>If I'm mediocre at math should I still go for it?
Drop the assumption. Proficiency in math isn't inborn. Check out Khan Academy and betterexplained.com if you don't believe me.
>>27336427
I took computer engineering and programming courses in high school and loved it. I love computers in and out, they practically raised me.
Math is holding me back but apparently there's a chance! Thank you, anymore advice guys? I'm first year in a completely unrelated program and I don't want to regret my life
>>27336472
I spent a couple of days and finished some ~50 math problems around my level and it bumped up my math level really good
practicing like that is bretty much the only way to get better at it, there's no magic to it.
>>27336467
I had a shitty foundation in math honestly. That's more my problem.
I had a 68 in gr 12 math then retook it in (A MUCH EASIER) summer school and got an 80. It just doesn't seem to click. Maybe I'll get a tutor if anything.
>computer science
why do so many little faggots get into this now? its boring as fuck. do some real science, faglords.
>>27336529
Thank you friend, I really mean it
>>27336287
Computer science is basically just math so yes, you need to master the maths.
Unless you're doing something like game design or IT.
You can get a degree and a good job even if you are not great at math/physics. But do you want to spend the rest of your life with it?
>>27336472
you'll definitely need some mathematical ability no matter what, but it's doable
personally i flew through middle/high school math right up until pre-calculus tier stuff, where it started turning into "memorize all these methods for taking a derivative or integral and figure out when to use them"
calculus was a bit of a struggle for me, but i got through it with mostly a's and b's
i had to take several more advanced math courses, probability was a clusterfuck because ours was really high level, discrete and combinatorial algebra I & II were tough, and differential equations sucked balls
i thoroughly enjoyed theory of computation though, even the proofs, and now i'm done with all my math so i'm in the clear
Engineers always talk about how hard the math they do is but as a math major to me it seems really not that bad.
If you like design and are not completely terrible at math it could work out for you OP
>>27336624
>math major
why do you hate yourselfwho am i kidding, this is /r9k/
i don't envy people who have to take real analysis
it's said to be the single hardest class at my school
>>27336624
They more learn the processes than actually understand the math.
Like you'll need to be able to differentiate but not understand why it works for example.
>>27336645
I'm in my second year at uni now and real analysis was my best mark last year, I like how autistic and rigorous it is desu senpai
>>27336670
you took real analysis as a freshman?
what the fuck
>>27336423
How anon?
>>27336682
Not him, but that's typical at elite universities. There's a shitload to cover and 4 years isn't all that much time with degrees like ECE and Physics.
>>27336708
my school's a very highly ranked engineering college and my math major friend didn't take reals until second year
>>27336682
I'm at Warwick in the UK, its a pretty good uni for maths
>>27336725
this is undergraduate or postgrad?
>>27336683
Did computing A level.
Almost all computer science degrees are planned to be accessible with little understanding of math or coding so it's easy to pick up.
>>27336287
you don't need to be able to do shit in your head or anything. you just need to know how to program things to find the answer for you. in the real world 90% of calculations are done by machines. its just faster and more accurate and reliable that way. the only thing you really need is to understand some basic principles of how it works.
its more important that you know math, not for the math, because see above, but for the logic. if you can't understand the type of logic that math takes, then understanding a lot of computer stuff will be difficult, if not impossible.
>>27336745
Undergrad, its a really competitive course. We study real analysis in the first year up to Taylor's series etc and now we've moved onto stuff like analysis on R^n, Frechet derivatives and that sort of stuff. As well as Topological/Metric spaces.
It's a good course, basically all I enjoy in my life
If you want a master or phd in compsci, you need to know the shit out of some math. If you want a bachelors, how much you will need largely depends on your program. You'll probably have to get through a calculus sequence at a minimum.
basically OP if you've already done stuff with algorithms and boolean logic, you should be fine in the real world, provided you can make it through your required math courses
>>27336794
taylor series is real analysis? we did that in my calc courses
hey everyone, im currently in calc2 and im failing, i failed calc1 and had to take it again to pass. am i ever going to get good at this? im starting to feel like maybe math isnt for me even though i like it a lot.
>How important is math ability in computer science and engineering?
It's very important. But no one is "good" at math, it's just hard work. That's the simple fact.
>>27336420
yep, I wish I just took out loans and went to a better university for software engineering instead of comp sci and math. 99% of the shit learned is completely outdated and useless.
>>27336820
Not rigorously though. We look deeply at the Cauchy/Lagrange error terms and the convergence of the series etc its tough
im going back to get my calc credit to go into computer engineering the meme better be worth it
>>27336849
personally i'm double majoring comp sci + software engineering, they're nearly the same at my school anyway it's barely any extra work
>>27336857
yeah that sounds like shit that would bore me, proving properties of languages, state machines, and grammars is about as far as i'll go before math stops being fun
>>27336472
go into software engineering for the big bucks, anything else computer related for mediocre pay, or go into comp sci for the overall understanding and move on from there
>>27336892
comp sci + software engineering sounds like the best option these days. i did comp sci and math.
>Trying to get a job after I graduate
>Applying for jobs
>Find the perfect one
>Exactly what I want to do, I know the main subject well, great benefits and pay
>Preliminary interview goes well
>Tech interview
>Super nervous
>It goes decently
>The guy said he was feeling "positive" about it, and says they'll email me about moving forward once he talks with his people
Is this a good thing? Or is that what companies tell you when they are going to send you a no thanks email in a week?
I've heard that girls and minorities have diversity advantages during hiring a lot. Especially in a computer field.
How true is this? Would a girl get hired a lot more easier than me? Real experiences anyone
>>27337066
there are honestly so few of them that it will barely affect you
i took an internship this summer at a software company with something like 24 interns, and 2 were girls, and one of those was in sales, not engineering
>how important is math in engineering
as a student, very
as an employed engineer, probably not that much unless you're an electrical engineer
>>27337066
That's just /pol/ being their assblasted selves.
Companies may pay lip service to diversity but ultimately care about hiring only the best people, especially in a hyper-competitive industry like tech. Some dindu advocacy group recently tried to force a change in Apple's hiring practices by pestering influential shareholders, but got BTFO by Tim Cook.
>>27336720
Are you, perhaps, an american?
Pure mathfag here
Compsci and Eng uses babby tier math but I would understand why they would be hard for you
But we're all gonna make it brah, gambatte
>>27337271
yes
currently studying abroad and not very impressed with the state of undergraduate education in europe
>>27337304
I had mandatory real analysis in my freshman year at a university that is ranked ~550th world-wide.
You'll be fine.
I learn computer science and there's lots of people there that are god awful at Maths. They teach it to you anyway.
>>27336287
Not super important. You'll be forced to take discrete math as well as some calculus, but past that it'll probably be up to you. You won't have to do any kind of moon math unless you want to enter cryptography or machine learning or anything. If you're talking about pure software engy its ok to be shaky at maths.
>>27337304
>undergraduate education in europe
What do you Americans even mean when you use the word "Europe" ?
UK, France, Germany?
Poland, Spain, Italy?
Liechtenstein?
I'm not mad I just never know what you guys are thinking when you make statements about the state of anything in "Europe".
Although I agree that the undergrad education in Germany has suffered from switching to this international Bachelor/Master bullshit.
>>27337809
specifically germany, i'm at a hochschule which i guess is closer to an american vocational school than a college
>>27337843
Yeah I also have trouble figuring out what matches with the American system, but it goes something like this:
>Uni
for careers in academia, research, and theoretical work (also lawyers and doctors)
>Fachhochschule
for advanced careers in certain fields and upper middle-class jobs
>Berufsschule/trade school
vocational training happens both at your company and the trade school
Germany currently still can't decide how we want to handle our IT stuff, compsci is being done at universities, but programmers and sysadmins are being trained at trade schools, salaries are extremely volatile and go anywhere from 30k-150k depending on what you do exactly.
I guess nobody asked for all this info but here you go
>>27336287
at my college honors computer science require two calculus courses and discrete math
I'm scared
>>27339226
discrete math is a cinch, don't worry bro.
calculus is different for everyone though, idk i didn't think it was too terrible
>senior in top10 cs program
