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Re:Ask HN: How to explain functional programming to my 13-ye... by theWold on Thursday December 10, 2015 @10:44AM (#10711152)
My mother introduced me to Java when I was younger due to me making programs on my calculator to do my math homework for me. (Quadratic Formula: Input A, B, and C and outputs the answers, Infinite many solutions, or No solution). I continued to keep doing this with other mindless equations in Algebra, Geometry, Alg 2, and into Calculus.

(Also, if you are in the U.S. then as much flack as Java gets as a language, it is the language used for the College Board AP exam for Computer Science (https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse/ap-computer-scie...)

Re:Ask HN: How to explain functional programming to my 13-ye... by kohanz on Thursday December 10, 2015 @10:52AM (#10711211)
The OP is looking for functional programming advice, so I don't see how Java is relevant.
Re:Ask HN: How to explain functional programming to my 13-ye... by theWold on Thursday December 10, 2015 @11:52AM (#10711619)
"Would you suggest that someone completely new to programming start with a functional programming language like Erlang, Haskell, or Scheme instead of traditional, more imperative languages like Java, Python, and C?"

(OPs last paragraph)

I should of also added that Java is a good language to start out with due to schools teaching with that a lot, or the large portion of workforce that uses Java. So teaching functional programming (albeit Java is not strictly that) is doable using Java. But also has benefits of the AP test if OP and their kiddo are thinking college.