Just realized I was wrong about needing to know math to code

I was at a coffee shop in Austin last month, telling my friend I'd never learn to code because I'm bad at math. This guy at the next table overheard and said, "I'm a web dev, and I haven't done real math since high school. You just need to know how to think in steps." He spent like 10 minutes showing me a basic Python script that just moved text around. It totally changed my mind. Has anyone else had a moment like that where a simple example made it click?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavin_kim310d ago

Totally get that, man. That coffee shop guy nailed it. I had the same hang up for years, thinking you needed to be some math genius. Then a buddy showed me how to make a dumb little program that just sorted a list of band names. It was all just basic logic, like "if this comes before that, put it here." Felt like a light bulb went off. The hardest part is just getting past that mental block that makes it seem way harder than it is.

abby_henderson10d ago

Wait, you sorted a list of BAND names? That's the example? I would have gotten stuck trying to pick the bands in the first place, arguing with myself about whether Radiohead goes before The Beatles.

the_ben8d ago

Light bulb went off" is a bit much. It's sorting a list, not curing a disease. People act like basic logic is some huge life changing event. It's just a small trick you learn.