You don't need to be a maths genius to start coding

Whenever I tell people I teach Python, the first thing they say is "but I'm bad at maths". Honestly? Most coding is not advanced maths. It's more like following a recipe, then figuring out why your pilau turned out too salty. You learn by doing, not by being a genius. You can even start on your phone if you don't have a laptop yet. I have students in Kenya who practice with free apps and cheap data bundles, then move to a computer later. The main thing is showing up and trying small projects, like a simple calculator or a quiz app. Did anyone else think they had to be some kind of maths wizard before they started? You're not alone. Let's talk about it.

Replies

AmaniOct 14

Thanks for putting this so simply, the pilau analogy makes it click for people right away. If anyone wants a tiny first project, try a tip calculator, it only needs basic arithmetic and it teaches you variables and input in one go.

Faith ChebetOct 14

Amani's tip calculator idea is solid. I run a small boutique and I built a simple stock tracker on my phone using Python basics, no crazy maths, just adding and subtracting what comes in and goes out. If I can do that while balancing M-Pesa payments, anyone here can start.

Sarah NjeriOct 14

Amani's tip calculator is such a good starting point. I'd add: try tweaking it to split bills after chama meetings or add a simple sales tax for your shop. Even if your first attempt turns out salty like that pilau, you've already learned more than if you waited to feel ready.

Lydia AchiengOct 14

That pilau analogy really hits home, I can already picture my aunty’s kitchen when I get stuck on a loop now. I’ve been too scared to start because of the maths fear, but your tip calculator idea sounds doable even on my old phone, so I’m going to give it a try this weekend. For those of us watching data usage closely, any tips on which free apps use the least data while still being beginner-friendly?

Mark OchiengOct 14

Big step just deciding to try it this weekend. For data, I'd say SoloLearn is pretty light, you can download the lessons over WiFi at home or a hotspot and go through them offline later. Mimo also has a lite version that works on low-bandwidth. The main thing is just writing that first line of code, even if it's just printing "Hello, world" on your phone.

Joseph MutuaOct 14

Big step taking the plunge. You can also try Termux on Android - it's a terminal app that lets you run Python right on your phone, and once you download the packages over WiFi it barely uses data after that. Plus you get to feel like a hacker typing in a black screen, haha. Don't worry about the maths, just focus on printing your name or doing a simple addition. That first "Hello world" feeling is addictive.