Ask Slashdot: How Important Is Advanced Math In a CS Degree?

AvailableNickname writes "I am currently pursuing a bachelor's in CompSci and I just spent three hours working on a few differential equations for homework. It is very frustrating because I just don't grok advanced math. I can sort of understand a little bit, but I really don't grok anything beyond long division. But I love computers, and am very good at them. However, nobody in the workforce is even going to glance at my direction without a BSc. And to punish me for going into a field originally developed by mathematicians I need to learn all this crap. If I had understood what I was doing, maybe I wouldn't mind so much. But the double frustration of not understanding it and not understanding why the heck I need to do it is too much. So, how important is it?"

Comments

well

[Anonymous Coward]

If a few differential equations are giving you so much trouble, you can stop worrying about learning advanced math. ;)

Oh dear

[spongman]

"Good at computers" ?

you should put that on your résumé.

Re:Think About It This Way

[eek_the_kat]

and if you want to make money, don't go into scientific or game programming.

Re:depends on what you're going into

[thomasw_lrd]

Almost all of Linear Algebra can be learned in a day, if you're willing to apply yourself. At least that's how my Linear Algebra was, but then again, the Prof said it was pretty dumbed down. So go figure what I know.

Re:Think About It This Way

[Alsee]

Long, short, double, long double, whatever.

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Re:depends on what you're going into

[mattack2]

If you're developing business software you're going to need stats. It's inevitably going to rear it's ugly head sooner or later.

Apparently you don't need to learn grammar.