# Good-to-have in your mind To start programming from scratch, you need a decent understanding of high school algebra. Why? Because programming *is* algebra at its core - it's all about manipulating symbols and calculations. Professional programming involves solving complex thinking problems that are a lot like math problems in essence (even if many of us don't realize this). Don't get discouraged if you weren't great at math in school (I wasn't either). You might be better at this kind of thinking than you expect. Just keep in mind that programming has deep mathematical roots, and try to understand these foundations as you learn. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://guide.ivanzakutnii.com/the-hard-way-to-swe-excellence/basic-undestanding/good-to-have-in-your-mind.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.