Currently working through a library using the new Python-enabled OpenPythonSCAD, and at the end of it, hope to work on a project which requires conic sections (which I'm still researching, so if anyone has any good resources on that I'd be glad of them).
Yes - I haven't bought these yet but I do intend to, because I need to brush up on all three (well, I don't think I ever really learned calculus, to be honest).
Joan Horvath is a superhero -- I've seen a few interviews now.
I will very happily use OpenSCAD for that because it seems like a well-chosen tool for the job.