Have you noticed how technology is in everything around us? It pilots autonomous cars, suggests movies, detects diseases in tests, generates realistic images from scratch, composes bespoke soundtracks, recognizes faces, translates languages in real time, and even talks to you in AI apps.
Sounds like magic, doesn't it? Actually, it 's math! Formulas, structures, logic and patterns, all working behind the scenes to turn ideas into intelligent solutions.
Mathematics and Computing: a historical connection
Many people think that mathematics and programming are very different things. But in fact Computer Science was born out of mathematics, to solve real-world problems algorithmically and computationally.
Can you imagine that without algebra and logic, applications like GPS, Spotify or even the filter you use on your photos wouldn't exist? Computers, as modern as they may seem, are just machines that execute mathematical logic at very high speed. And believe me: it's the ability to think mathematically that differentiates those who just use technology from those who are capable of inventing it.
Ada Lovelace and the origin of programming
In 1843, Ada Lovelace, recognized as the first programmer in history, wrote the first algorithm intended to be executed by a machine, Charles Babbage's Analytical Machine.
For her, the "science of operations" - derived from mathematics - was a universal language capable of creating and transforming thinking machines. Even without real computers in her day, her ideas were visionary and laid the foundations for modern computing.
Donald Knuth and mathematics applied to programming
More than a century later, in 1968, Donald Knuth reinforced this view:
"Computer science is applied mathematics."
In his classic work The Art of Computer Programming, Knuth shows how programming involves:
- Logical thinking
- Discrete structures
- Quantitative analysis
In other words, to be a good programmer, it is essential to have a mathematical mindset.
The mathematics behind Artificial Intelligence
Even in the most recent technologies, mathematics continues to play a leading role:
- Generative AI: vectors in multidimensional spaces, conditional probabilities, optimization functions.
- 3D graphics and augmented reality: linear algebra for light, shadow, movement and positioning in space.
- Recommender systems and facial recognition: neural networks operating with vectors and matrices.
Optimization: smart decisions with mathematics
When the problem is to choose the best solution, optimization comes into play, coming from Operations Research and Calculus.
- Faster delivery routes
- Efficient use of resources
- Fine-tuning AI models
These applications show how mathematics has a direct impact on the market and on companies.
Security and Cryptography: mathematics as a digital guardian
Modern encryption, which protects messages, banking transactions and passwords, is based on:
- Number theory
- Secret codes
- Complex mathematical properties
Without it, there would be no secure internet. Yes, it's the same school mathematics that guarantees the protection of governments, companies and users.
Applied mathematics at Inteli: from PBL to the market
Here at Inteli, with the Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology, all this math doesn't stay on the blackboard. It appears in real-world challenges. It's not just doing math, it's understanding what's behind an algorithm, questioning why a tool works and, above all, improving it. Mathematics works like a key that unlocks the black box of technology. With it, you stop being just a user and become a creator.
But calm down: nobody expects you to know everything right away. The course is designed to develop these skills little by little. Mathematics will no longer be that seven-headed beast (I swear!!) and will become your best ally. A language that helps you think better, create solutions and turn ideas into technology.
Because deep down, those who understand the mathematics behind machines create the future with them.
