Get you some discrete maths.
I had absolutely no fun at all with basic algebra and calculus. Very, very much not my thing. I do not care for the quadratic equation, 1/2at^2 can fuck right off, and the most terrifying words in the English language are ‘integration bee’.
I always loved programming, so going into computer science was a no-brainer, but the hefty maths component sounded horrible.
As it turned out, however, it was absolutely brilliant. Combinatorics, set theory, formal logic, graph theory, modulo arithmetic… it all just worked.
It’s a whole different world, trust me.
Something that nobody else has said so far. The same rules ALWAYS apply ALL the time. Redundant I know but for a reason. Sometimes there’s rules that can give you the same answer. Sometimes rules are more generally applicable than others. But it never changes. It never lies. Eh hem Katie. But seriously. In arts, people can judge things on feelings. In math, did you break any rules? No… then it’s ALWAYS correct. It’s reliable. It’s consistent. And to some people that’s happiness. To some others it’s even pleasurable. The trick is to never memorize it. Just understand it. If you know the “why” you know the “how”. Math is like a dog. It’s always there for you, and will never betray you. It’s predictable and loves when you play with it. It comforts you in times of conflict, but can stress you out worse than anything else at the same time. Math is not like Katie
I have a bachelors in mathematics and statistics. Math just clicks with me a and I don’t question a lot of it when I am learning “it”. If someone tells you A = B, and B = C don’t question if A = C is true. You already know it because of the first two equations.
People struggle with math because they always question why why why why. Just learn the concept and you can learn the math.
Personally, I love math because I did not have to memorize. I had to learn how to critically think and use previous techniques to solve what was in front of me. You guys can memorize every bone in your body where I would rather eat cereal with a knife than do that.
Understanding it is the bomb.
When I was in trade school becoming an electrician, I had to learn fractions and decimals and how to integrate each other into an equation.
Being able to divide, subtract and multiply between the 2 and get the correct answer, making it make sense, is such a rewarding feeling that no drug can replicate.
Math was a core part of my degree.
I didn’t enjoy it until I got to upper level stats.
You can communicate so much with stats. Stats require a great deal of responsibility. If you know what you’re doing you can turn small sets of data into powerful, convincing stories.
If you know more than the first few chapters of introductory text, people look at you like you’re some kind of wizard. If you have grad courses under your belt, it’s pure voodoo. You can reach a point very quickly where it’s difficult for people to question your methods.
I like statistics because I am a bastard.