I've been trying to teach myself C for a few months now, and I'm making decent progress until I hit the math-related parts, like using modulo. To be honest, my background in math isn't great; I scraped through algebra and pre-algebra, and I feel like I'm not very good at it. Do you think I should continue learning C, or would it be smarter to switch to a programming language that doesn't require as much math? I'm finding the math aspects really tough to manage. Any advice would be appreciated!
4 Answers
You really don't need to worry too much about advanced math for C. Basic arithmetic will get you through things like array indexing or pointer offsets. Sure, certain operations like bit-shifting pop up, but your compiler usually handles that for you. The math you encounter, like modulo, is manageable and doesn’t require deep mathematical knowledge. Plus, learning programming itself might even help strengthen your math skills!
Modulo is just another arithmetic operation you already know from algebra; it relates to remainders. Try not to put yourself down. Most programming languages have built-in math libraries, and avoiding C just because of a few math functions might limit you elsewhere. You're capable of more than you think!
I get it! I learned slowly with an IEP too, but I'm focused on improving. Thanks for your supportive words!
I struggled with math too, having a learning disability called dyscalculia, but I've been coding successfully for over 20 years. You don’t need to know advanced math to be good at programming. In C, modulus is just a simple concept: it shows you whether a number is divisible by another. For example, 11 % 5 is 1, meaning 11 divided by 5 leaves a remainder of 1. Certain programming fields are math-heavy, but as a beginner, you won't face that immediately.
That's interesting! How did you tackle the math-heavy problems when you faced them? Any tricks or resources you’d recommend?
Honestly, if you're picking up how a PC works, that’s more important than deep math skills. Understanding types, compilation, and memory management is key in C, and you don’t need a ton of math for that. If you skip the math now, you might miss some foundational knowledge, but it won't prevent you from learning to code altogether.
So if I don't fully grasp these early math concepts, will it impact my understanding later on?
So should I just skip the math parts in courses I'm trying? Like modulo operations?