The Math You Need For Data Science
The Math You Need For Data Science
OVERVIEW
Yes, you need to know math to be in data science. But do you need to know all
of it to get your first job in data science? Absolutely not. What you do need is a
firm grasp on some fundamental concepts. If you understand these
fundamentals then learning anything else you need won't be too much of a
stress. Focus on the fundamentals, and know them intuitively.
WHAT I BELIEVE
I believe that any body can learn
the essential tools of mathematics
for data science. Just because you
didn't major in math or stats or
computer science doesn't mean
that you can't learn those skills. At
one point in my life I didn't know
how to walk. Now I walk all the
time. There was also a point when I
didn't know how to code, and now I
do it daily. You can learn anything.
OBJECTIVES
THE GOAL OF THIS PAPER
I'll start with the basics: Listing out everything I feel you need to know
before even thinking about applying for your first job in data science. I'll
link to my favorite resources so you can go more in depth. These are ones
that I have hand picked for their clarity and delivery of content.
KEY POINTS
This list is not exhaustive. There's gonna be some pedantic academic out
there talking out of mouth about:"Well you need to know this, and that,
and what about that". If you're that person, relax. Close this document
now. And go on about your day.
The skills outlined here are the foundations. They are the fundamentals
on which everything else is built. If you study these, know them well,
understand them intuitively, then you'll have no problem picking up
more complex concepts.
This is not a textbook. I will generously link to resources that explain
things far better than I can. They're not random resources. They are ones
that I fully co-sign.
Pretty much everything here is lifted from various university
courses. Mostly from Penn State. They're awesome.
ALGEBRA
Knowledge of the following mathematical operations is required for
data science:
Addition
Subtraction
Division
Multiplication
Radicals (i.e., square roots)
Exponents
Summations (∑)
Factorials (!)
Scientific Notation
When performing a series of mathematical operations, begin with
those inside parentheses or brackets. Next, calculate any exponents
or square roots. This is followed by multiplication and division, and
finally, addition and subtraction.
Parentheses
Exponents & Square Roots
Multiplication and Division
Addition and Subtraction
Gauss-Jordan Elimination
Gaussian Elimination
LI NEAR ALGEBRA -
EI GENDECOMPOSI TI ON
PatrickJMT
NancyPi
Krista King
CatBug88
MathByFives
CLOSI NG REMARKS
There is a lot of math to learn. That is for
sure.
Thanks!