What kind of math does it take to become a commercial pilot?

Question

What kind of math is used to be a pilot, what do I need to learn? My dream is to become a pilot, for maybe Southwest Or Delta (Southwest Rocks! ha ha) My math is about 6th grade and I'm in High school (Freshmen) I am great at flight simulators. Is it true that I need to be a math genius if so then what kind of math do I need. If not then how much math and what kind of math is used. I can do simple algebra expressions and some geometry, I am a HTML Programmer and I designed the schools website and I'm very good at computers but not at math. Thanks everyone, I really really appreciate it, and to you pilots out there I would like to honor you, and I'm going to make a Pilots Lounge some day, free to pilots and enthusiast. Thanks!

Answer 1

What kind of math?  Ratios and interpolation.

Answer 2

Add, Subtract, multiply, divide. and really you can get by with just add and subtract when you use a EB6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E6B

Answer 3

You don't need to be a math genius, but you should be able to do the basics well.

Say you've got 26 gallons of fuel on board, you burn 20 gallons an hour, you're ground speed is 100 miles an hour and your 125 miles from the airport. You need to keep at least 30 minutes fuel in reserve.

You need to be able to estimate in your head (without fishing around for a calculator) that you simply can't do it safely and you need to find an airport before you reach your destination.

If you can do this sort of math, you're fine.

Answer 4

Just the basics, add, subtract, multiply, divide.  You'll learn lots of rules of thumb that pilots use, that really eliminates any hard math you'd have to do in your head.  For the rest, we have calculators, flight management systems, flight computers, etc.  Don't worry about your math skills.