this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2023
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Its got to be a relatively small group who knows enough to understand loops and is also afraid of math symbols.
Maybe not so small?
I never encountered these math symbols but for loops are like step 3 in any programming language after variables and conditionals
lol, like 2.5% of the USA are programmers and even if we say twice that number have experimented and taken programming classes, that's like 1 in 20 people who would even have ever encountered a for loop. This nsf report says ~70% of highschoolers have taken Algebra 2 or a more advanced math course, which is when sum notation is usually introduced. I think 70% is a little greater than 5%!
Huh. When I took Calculus II in community college, the professor introduced sum notation and like 2/3 of the class was like "wow that's cool I didn't know about that". I don't remember ever being formally taught it before that but it still surprises be how few people where already familiar with it.