Hi, I am the mathematician here at MindValley.
Whenever we start on a new algorithm, I listen to all the non-mathematicians toss ideas on how to solve a problem (which I otherwise am paid to solve with some high-brow maths).
When they (and myself, in a non-mathematical capacity) are done with coming up with simple (but not simplistic) workarounds there are two areas where I get to apply my high-brow maths *wink*:
- How to quantify and automate the ideas.
- How to implement anything mathematically which otherwise is not possible heuristically (let's not start on heuristic mathematics).
And while making the algorithm I take two things into considerations:
- How to eliminate as much if-then statements and for-loops as possible.
- How to use mathematics to save the computer the grunt work (although it is meant to do precisely that)- so that the application is lean (and mean).
I will give you a simple example from real life.