"Writing software" = "writing down math".
Consider:
* "Writing software" means arranging symbols (bits in a machine language, UTF or ASCII characters in a high-level language) in certain permitted ways, to transform an input sequence of symbols (e.g., a stream of byte values representing user actions from a video game controller) into an output sequence of symbols (e.g., byte values representing pixel RGB colors for display on a screen).
* "Writing down math" (e.g., to prove something, or to solve a problem) means arranging symbols ('x', '2', '+', etc.) in certain permitted ways, to transform an input sequence of symbols (representing mathematical notions) into an output sequence of symbols (representing other mathematical notions). Turing, Church, Curry, Gödel, and many others realized this in the 1920's and 1930's.
That said, most self-described "software developers" are typically working to solve relatively simple problems for immediate practical application, whereas most self-described "mathematicians" are typically working to solve highly complex problems, often highly abstract in nature, without regard for practical application.
Consider:
* "Writing software" means arranging symbols (bits in a machine language, UTF or ASCII characters in a high-level language) in certain permitted ways, to transform an input sequence of symbols (e.g., a stream of byte values representing user actions from a video game controller) into an output sequence of symbols (e.g., byte values representing pixel RGB colors for display on a screen).
* "Writing down math" (e.g., to prove something, or to solve a problem) means arranging symbols ('x', '2', '+', etc.) in certain permitted ways, to transform an input sequence of symbols (representing mathematical notions) into an output sequence of symbols (representing other mathematical notions). Turing, Church, Curry, Gödel, and many others realized this in the 1920's and 1930's.
That said, most self-described "software developers" are typically working to solve relatively simple problems for immediate practical application, whereas most self-described "mathematicians" are typically working to solve highly complex problems, often highly abstract in nature, without regard for practical application.