05/06/2026 6:25 am
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I've been looking at all this AI stuff lately like everyone else and it looks super cool but honestly I'm a bit intimidated. I'm currently working as a barista in Seattle and I really want to switch careers into tech over the next year because the rent here is just getting too crazy and I need a better gig. I started watching some YouTube videos on how to build models but as soon as they show those weird symbols and Greek letters or whatever I just completely blank out. My math skills are basically stuck at high school level from like five years ago and I dont even remember what a derivative is if I'm being real. I have about 500 dollars saved up for some online courses or maybe some books but I dont want to waste it on things that are way over my head. I'm just curious what do I actually need to learn first to even understand what's happening under the hood? Like do I need to go back and learn full calculus and linear algebra or is it more like just statistics stuff?
Sorry if this is a dumb question but I just feel so lost with where to start and I'm worried I'm not smart enough for this whole machine learning thing... what's the bare minimum math I gotta know before I even start typing code?
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05/06/2026 6:50 am
Agreed, unfortunately most fast-track courses are subpar tbh. I had issues with tutorials lacking rigor. Try:
- Cambridge Mathematics for Machine Learning Textbook
- O'Reilly Hands-On Machine Learning 3rd Edition They explain derivatives better.
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05/06/2026 7:30 am
Solid advice 👍
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03/08/2026 1:15 am
Honestly dont stress about being a math genius right now. I was in your shoes a couple years ago and the symbols were legit scaring me too. I found that grinding through abstract theory before coding is a trap for most people. You just need enough to understand what a loss function is doing. Personally I got way more out of Gilbert Strang Introduction to Linear Algebra because he explains things visually instead of just dumping formulas on you. Also check out StatQuest with Josh Starmer The StatQuest Illustrated Guide to Machine Learning. Its super approachable and doesnt feel like a textbook at all. I honestly wouldnt drop 500 bucks on fancy courses yet. Just grab these, watch some free vids on Khan Academy for the basics, and try to build something tiny. Once you see the code actually changing things, the math starts to click a lot faster. You got this, just take it one step at a time.
