Math

I'm a brainlet, but I want to get a CS degree. Programming I enjoy, but I am awful at math. I want to get to at least a Calc 1 level in the next few weeks. I've been working through Khan Academy but there's such a massive amount of information, hundreds of lessons. As I work through, I get the strong vibe that some of it isn't going to be immediately necessary. For example, under Algebra II, immediately after operations between functions and composition of functions, there's a whole section on shifting/transforming/stretching graphs of functions. Cool and all, but I feel like maybe i'm wasting my limited time with it. I don't want to spend a bunch of time learning something i'll probably never use again, i'll probably forget it in a matter of weeks. What are the bare minimum topics I need to master?

Pic unrelated

College level algebra and maybe some matrix shit is literally all you will ever need

This. I did first year calculus at university (although I wasn't required to), and it wasn't useful at all.
Linear algebra was very useful, though.

cs ~= programming
cs ~= software engineering

sounds like you don't really want a cs degree, just the bragging rights. Learn node and jump on the sweet deepMachineDildoingCRUD train and you will be fine

second, learning is a process, you can't compress it into a week, there are no cheat codes. Calc 1 is usually a semester. You will never use it directly btw, it gives you e.g. a foundation to build mental models describing your problem space

I don't want the bragging rights, I want a degree that will open doors.

see point 1 sweet summer child

CS is literally spelled science, companies look for wage slaves. Software engineering is more suitable, but no one gives a fuck. Do a node project, plug it on reddit/HN and broadcast your cv.

People are getting hired and invited as speakers because they identify as some otherkin, do the math

>Node

Shut up and learn it all.

node > neet

node + react to go full meme. That's how it is, hate the game.

>anime
3D>2D

2D>3D

the thing about math is that its taught in such a shitty way without applications. it's all rigour, symbols and abstraction that means nothing to people. but believe it or not it can be really interesting and motivating if you learn some of the beauty in it. perhaps looks up some beauty in math videos on youtube, learn about fractals or some 3d programming with transforms and basic physics simulation.

Wrong

...

>I'm bad at math
>I feel like I'm learning things that are useless that I'll never use
>I still want a degree though

You're a brainlet for buying into the idea that people are just naturally bad or good at math when anyone can learn if they actually take the time and put in the effort.

You're in for a surprise if you are against learning "useless" information but still want a whole degree. If you can't get your head around basic algebra and complain its a waste of time then you're definitely not going to make it through a whole stem based degree.

>What is the bare minimum

If you're already saying things like this then you should step aside from the people who aren't complaining and instead study hard

I realize now that this comes out as lazy. Let me rephrase that a bit: I'm not bad at math, just received a poor education. As such, I have a LOT of catching up to do. I'm not lazy, I spend all of my free time studying. When I said "useless" I only mean in the context of what would be immediately relevant to my courses. I don't want to spend 2 days working through a concept that will never be touched in any of my classes. If it's not something i'll be working with regularly, chance are I'll forget it shortly after anyways from lack of use. I'm willing to do more than the bare-minimum, but I want to at least have the bare-minimum mastered before I start trying to advance to a wider variety of skills. I have no problems with basic algebra.

>how do I get a math degree without doing math?
This is you. This is literally what you're asking.

Incorrect. I just wanted to limit things down, "math" is a huge fucking subject, very vague. I know Calculus is apparently the tough thing that breaks a lot of people down, I want to expose myself to it as soon as possible so I can be prepared. It's like if someone just told you to learn "music", you wouldn't know if that meant learn modes,scales, or what. You'd probably want things down to narrow down to some specifics.

Calculus is fundamental conceptual knowledge for any mathematical science degree.

>I am awful at math
stop perpetuating this meme. nobody is bad at math, they're just lazy cunts with a culturally accepted excuse. you think asians are naturally "good at math"? no. they put in work. they study. their parents don't infect them with "oh i'll never use math in my life after school anyway, no point bothering".

you can do the math. anyone can.

if you're really going for it, be prepared to spend a lot of time at your college's math clinic and to try and get together with others from class to get shit done, else you're just gonna fail.

these are early weed-out courses to separate people who can put in work from those who can't manage their own time

>weed
now you're talking my language. math is starting to sound pretty great.