Coding Beginner

[kjha]

I'm a senior high school student planning to go into Mathematics and eventually apply to a Financial Engineering program. I've heard that Mathematics along with CompSci is a very powerful combo. The issue is I know next to nothing about coding or programming. I apologize if I confuse/misuses any terms: What type of code should i learn first if my end goal is an MFE program and eventually a career as a quant? What are the best online resources for my situation considering I know absolutely nothing?

Any help would be greatly appreciate, thanks.

 

[IntoDarkness]

as a high school senior, ur end goal is a job not an academic program...

 

[bigbadwolf]

The issue is I know next to nothing about coding or programming.

"Next to nothing" means "a little bit." What little bit do you know? And since it's scientific coding you'll want to be oriented towards, what math do you know? Have you already got your AP calculus out of the way? AP computer science?

 

[kjha]

as a high school senior, ur end goal is a job not an academic program...

Really? Your sole purpose of commenting was to point that out? Thanks for the helpful advice.

"Next to nothing" means "a little bit." What little bit do you know? And since it's scientific coding you'll want to be oriented towards, what math do you know? Have you already got your AP calculus out of the way? AP computer science?

I took an hour long khan academy tutorial on coding a while back, so I probably should of said nothing rather than next to nothing. I'm part of a Canadian school system so the first half of our year is only Vectors while the second half is Calculus (also taking an Advanced Functions course throughout). I've just started to try and get ahead of my class but am only on basic applications of derivatives. I've also never taken any computer science courses, so any resource that would offer a guide on what to do to start would be incredibly helpful.

 

[bigbadwolf]

I'm part of a Canadian school system so the first half of our year is only Vectors while the second half is Calculus (also taking an Advanced Functions course throughout). I've just started to try and get ahead of my class but am only on basic applications of derivatives. I've also never taken any computer science courses, so any resource that would offer a guide on what to do to start would be incredibly helpful.

And you have money for a few books? Online resources are a supplement but by themselves they don't take you far.

 

[kjha]

And you have money for a few books? Online resources are a supplement but by themselves they don't take you far.

Absolutely.

 

[bigbadwolf]

Absolutely.

I'll assume you have pre-calc under your belt. Start with Mendelson's Beginning Calculus (pub. Schaum's). Not expensive and will give you a calc foundation. And/or buy a copy of Mathematics for Physicists and Engineers, by Klaus Weltner, et al. This also starts with basics (in fact starts with vectors, functions and trig) but goes much further (to ODEs, Fourier analysis, linear algebra, vector analysis, and probability theory).

With regard to programming choose a language. Then I will tell you what to go for. I advise Python but the decision is yours.

 

[kjha]

I'll assume you have pre-calc under your belt. Start with Mendelson's Beginning Calculus (pub. Schaum's). Not expensive and will give you a calc foundation. And/or buy a copy of Mathematics for Physicists and Engineers, by Klaus Weltner, et al. This also starts with basics (in fact starts with vectors, functions and trig) but goes much further (to ODEs, Fourier analysis, linear algebra, vector analysis, and probability theory).

With regard to programming choose a language. Then I will tell you what to go for. I advise Python but the decision is yours.

Thank you so much for the help- would you mind if i PMed you with any further questions?

 

[bigbadwolf]

Thank you so much for the help- would you mind if i PMed you with any further questions?

Unless it's something top secret or you want to transfer a seven-figure sum to my numbered Lichtenstein account in gratitude for the morsels I've given you, keep it here. The same questions get asked over and over again by the legions of the clueless. Maybe they'll learn something from these posts.

 

[kjha]

Unless it's something top secret or you want to transfer a seven-figure sum to my numbered Lichtenstein account in gratitude for the morsels I've given you, keep it here. The same questions get asked over and over again by the legions of the clueless. Maybe they'll learn something from these posts.

Haha no problem. I'l take your advice and go with Python- where should I go from there?

 

[bigbadwolf]

Haha no problem. I'l take your advice and go with Python- where should I go from there?

Your first assignment: go to a bookstore and see what they have to offer by way of Python. Put your assessments down here of the books (odds are I know the books).