TITLE: Recommended Math knowledge for programming
QUESTION [15 upvotes]: I wasn't sure if this is a math or programming question so I suppose I flipped a coin.
I'm just learning programming thanks to my IT Support degree and was just wondering what the minimum recommended level I should try and get my math up to would be.
I know the Math class in .NET gets rid of a desperate need to be Math proficient but I'm sure it would help. So far I have a secondary school level math education (up to 16 years of age) but that was 16 years ago.
Thanks.

REPLY [2 votes]: I agree with the others that any maths knowledge is good, however in my experience, the actual amount required in programming is usually minimal. Nonetheless, it is essential to have a feel for what computers can do with numbers if you intend to work in this area.
My work is primarily engineering, but I write programs to implement engineering concepts. I basically turn equations into progams.
Now, engineering maths is pretty basic. However, implementing it efficiently and correctly in a program may not be straightforward, often due to the finite precision of number storage.
So you can be caught out, even when relying on existing libraries (like .Net Math) if you don't understand the practicalities of even simple maths when done on a computer.
Best of luck!