I used to think you had to be a math genius to start coding

For the longest time, I was sure you needed to be amazing at math to even try. I tried a basic Python course about six months ago and got stuck on a simple problem about calculating averages. I gave up for a week. Then I watched a video where someone built a small script that sorted their movie watchlist. They used plain English logic, not complex formulas. I went back and just wrote out the steps to find an average in words first, like 'add all the numbers, then divide by how many numbers there are.' Translating that into code made it click. The math was just basic grade school stuff. I've built three little tools since then, and none needed more than simple adding or dividing. What other beginner myths did you guys have to get past?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor_fox5d ago

Plain English logic" only gets you so far though. Real coding problems get math heavy fast, like graphics or machine learning. You kinda do need to be good at it for the serious stuff.

harperwright5d ago

Yeah the "math heavy" part is so real, @taylor_fox. It can feel like a totally different skill from basic coding. I get why it turns a lot of people off from those fields.