Do Software Engineers Use Calculus?
Let’s face it, calculus is hard for many people. As someone with a math degree, I can think back on several occasions where I blankly stared at my notebook or at a whiteboard, frustrated in trying to figure out the next step in solving the calculus problem at hand. In those moments, it is easy to think “What is the point of this anyway? When am I ever going to use calculus in my life?”
There is a perception that software engineers need to be math geniuses and fly through calculus coursework in order to be successful at their job. In fact, most college computer science programs require advanced calculus courses in order to graduate. Given that computer science majors are required to learn calculus, it would be logical to assume that software engineers must use calculus in their day to day work.
So, do software engineers use calculus?
While software engineers don’t find themselves directly applying calculus concepts in their day to day work, there are skills that are acquired when learning calculus that can be helpful to software engineers.
Generally speaking, calculus revolves around understanding the rate of change of mathematical functions. Calculus courses teach people how to take functions and figure out how fast or slow the functions changes.
