How Important Is Math in FP&A?
I’m not that good at Math.
It might surprise some of my friends and colleagues to learn that math was my worst subject during my last year of high school.
As the level of abstraction increased, my interest waned and my grades suffered. I didn’t connect with calculus or complex algebra—not because I disliked numbers, but because they were being used in such a rarefied way.
The truth is, I’ve always loved numbers.
Since I was a kid, I’ve been drawn to the patterns and meaning hidden within them, and my career has been built around roles with intense analytical responsibilities.
So how does that all add up?
The Truth About FP&A Math
Few roles in business seem more quantitative than FP&A. But the reality is this: we almost never use math more complicated than basic arithmetic—addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division—and a little algebra.
What is complicated is the thinking. The challenge is not the numbers themselves, but how you organize them, question them, evolve them, and turn them into decisions.
Here are four things I really value in addition to math:
1. Logic
The first thing I notice in a spreadsheet is its logical flow—how the thinking is laid out. Is it organized in a way that makes sense? Do related items live together? Can it be easily followed left-to-right and top-to-bottom.
Structure promotes clarity, engagement, and confidence. A well-structured model or dashboard is easier to audit, easier to share, and easier to evolve. Analysis is not just about the calculations—it’s about how you organize each thought within a cohesive whole.
2. Rigor
Calculations are binary: right or wrong. But people are fallible. Everyone in this field has experienced that stomach-dropping moment in a meeting when someone questions a number and you realize you’re not sure it’s correct.
Rigor is the work to address that. It means building in checks, reconciling your work, validating assumptions, and keeping a healthy skepticism until the numbers prove themselves. Rigor isn’t about personal perfectionism—it’s about strengthening the analysis itself.
3. Flexibility
Good analysis evolves. You may start with a hunch—say, that employee experience is impacting customer satisfaction—but testing that hunch may require trying different metrics, intervals, or correlations. That takes time and an openness to iterate.
Flexibility means being willing to rebuild, rethink, and try again. As the chess champion Emanuel Lasker once said: “When you see a good move, look for a better one.” Great analysts do the same—they are constantly looking to improve their understanding and discover hidden insights.
4. Intuition
Some people just have a feel for numbers. They can glance at a spreadsheet and instantly see what’s off, what’s interesting, or what’s missing.
Call it intuition, pattern recognition, or subconscious thinking—it doesn’t matter. It’s a skill that develops over time and saves an enormous amount of effort. And in a world where attention is scarce, intuition helps direct it to the right places.
Final Thoughts
This post began with a question about the importance of math in FP&A. For the record, math is important. While you may not spend much time doing differential calculus, you do need to be disciplined and competent at arithmetic.
But I also want to highlight that great analysts must combine this with logic, rigor, flexibility, and intuition to be truly successful in their roles. It’s not always obvious from the outset—but it pays huge dividends over time.
If you've been struggling to find the right person to fill that FP&A role, think about reaching out. A fresh perspective on the position can often reveals new and unexpected candidates—people who not only excel in the role but go on to become great leaders and mentors in their own right.
Published: August 3, 2025
