91–100 of 216 posts
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> (Also, curse the Greeks for not using more idiomatic variables. ∑ would never pass code review, what an entirely unreadable identifier) S for Sum, T for Total, N for Number, I for Index, etc. might though.
Not everyone speaks English. It's nice to keep that in mind when naming things in the universal language that is maths. S, T, N might make sense in some languages but not others. More greek would at least level the playing field or something.
I know this is going to be the case for likely nobody, but I have browsed most of the self-study math threads that pop up here as a forever-on-my-todo-list thing and I have a remark to make: I have yet to find a guide that does not start with the assumption that you graduated highschool. That is a very reasonable assumption to make. We are in a community of technology and engineering, it would be a bit ridiculous to…
Consider getting a private maths teacher. At this level it's probably not very expensive but you'll be able to learn so much more efficiently.
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Yep, brilliant.org + the first book from minireference.com are what OP needs.
I found that the community on brilliant.org can be quite toxic. I was a member for awhile, but quit due to the people on the site.
I know this is going to be the case for likely nobody, but I have browsed most of the self-study math threads that pop up here as a forever-on-my-todo-list thing and I have a remark to make: I have yet to find a guide that does not start with the assumption that you graduated highschool. That is a very reasonable assumption to make. We are in a community of technology and engineering, it would be a bit ridiculous to…
I know this is going to be the case for likely nobody, but I have browsed most of the self-study math threads that pop up here as a forever-on-my-todo-list thing and I have a remark to make: I have yet to find a guide that does not start with the assumption that you graduated highschool. That is a very reasonable assumption to make. We are in a community of technology and engineering, it would be a bit ridiculous to…
Linear algebra is quite a beautiful, approachable subject; and a certain amount of it is necessary to make the leap from single variable to multi-variable calculus. Without a good grip on calculus, you can’t really what’s going on under the covers with linear algebra. What you need to do is precalculus (Simmons) -> single variable calculus -> very introductory / elementary linear algebra -> multi variable calculus (Apostol) -> less introductory linear algebra but still fairly basic (Gilbert Strang Intro to Linear Algebra) -> mathematical analysis (Apostol) -> linear algebra done right (Axler). You have to apply a spiral method where you return to subjects as you gain the tools you need to understand them better. You’ll never be done understanding geometry, algebra, or analysis.
Also, math is a problem solving art, and you can’t solve problems by reading, you solve them by thinking. Seek out problems that challenge and consolidate your understanding. You should be able to prove everything in Simmons and it should seem totally natural and intuitive. Then you’re ready to struggle with calculus, which is a subject humanity struggled with for centuries before getting a rigorous handle on. You probably want to get a handle on the mechanics and intuition, first, and for that I’ve heard that “Calculus Made Easy” by Silvanus Thompson is good.
Don’t try to eat too much all at once, you’ll make yourself sick. Don’t try to cheat yourself of the patient struggle to understand, confusion is completely natural when striving to really know something.
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It seems that the more basic course is Discovering mathematics (MU123). http://mathschoices.open.ac.uk/mu123
https://students.open.ac.uk/openmark/mct.level3/ > Question 1: Sara wants to buy a desk before she starts her Open University course. She has chosen a suitable place for it but needs to measure the space before going to buy it. > Which of these units is the most suitable for measuring the width of the desk? (a) millimetres, (b) metres, (c) centimetres, (d) kilometres. Seems pretty arbitrary to me. Okay (d) is arguabl…
Imagine being someone who cannot produce an answer to this question. Who cannot discuss it.
The vast majority of people for whom this entry-level course is aimed at do not think like you. The purpose of the question is not to elicit a correct answer, although I note the effect intended actually worked perfectly on you and the question has been a success in your case. Maybe you are exactly the kind of person this question is aimed at!
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I've tried a few things recently that help with that: 1. Don't do exercises unless you want to. Completionism is a trap. 2. Take notes . Rewrite things in your own words. Imagine you're writing a guide for your past self. 3. Ask questions . Anytime you write something down, pause and ask yourself. Why is this true? How can we be sure? What does it imply? How could this idea be useful? 4. Cross-reference . Don't read…
this is excellent execellt advice. seriously anyone interested in learning math, chancing on this comment, should write it down. i wish i could upvote many more times. i have a bachelors in pure math and am 10 years out. i have time and again revisited things and didn't make good substantive progress until i came to these same exact conclusions. especially the part about skipping the exercises. if you're not trying t…
I think this is deeply mistaken. In a well-chosen book, such as the ones in the submitted article, doing the exercises is not to test your memorisation, it's to develop your understanding.
Math is not a spectator sport. Reading about math is fine, but it will not take root and develop unless you engage with it, and the exercises are the way to do that.
Ignore the exercises if you want, but you almost certainly will end up knowing about the math, but not able to do it.
I know this is going to be the case for likely nobody, but I have browsed most of the self-study math threads that pop up here as a forever-on-my-todo-list thing and I have a remark to make: I have yet to find a guide that does not start with the assumption that you graduated highschool. That is a very reasonable assumption to make. We are in a community of technology and engineering, it would be a bit ridiculous to…
In attempt #1 I was jumping ahead to read the interesting stuff (calculus), and while I could make some progress, it was needlessly difficult because I didn't start from the basics.
It attempt #2 I started from the very beginning (course 1 out of 10 mandatory high school courses), and focused on doing exercises. However progress was slow, because I would just continue forward when I felt like it.
Finally attempt #3 was successful. I committed to doing exercises in order consistently every day after waking up. This felt great, as every week I was making noticeable progress, and having all the prerequisite knowledge for each next step made progress much easier than I had imagined it could be.
With the slow start but gaining pace towards the later courses, I finished this self-study project in 2 years (could have been close to half that, had I gotten into the groove from the beginning), and found it quite enjoyable. It didn't feel like a chore at all, more like the highlight of each day.
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I'm studying for a Math BSc with the OU and I think their books are great. They are designed for 100% self-study and are polished over the years. The range of topics in level 1 math courses such as MST124 or MST125 is huge, while keeping the appropriate level of difficulty.
Which university, if you don't mind me asking? Can you share the names of the textbooks?
Second-hand OU books are usually bought from https://www.universitybooksearch.co.uk/
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It seems that the more basic course is Discovering mathematics (MU123). http://mathschoices.open.ac.uk/mu123
https://students.open.ac.uk/openmark/mct.level3/ > Question 1: Sara wants to buy a desk before she starts her Open University course. She has chosen a suitable place for it but needs to measure the space before going to buy it. > Which of these units is the most suitable for measuring the width of the desk? (a) millimetres, (b) metres, (c) centimetres, (d) kilometres. Seems pretty arbitrary to me. Okay (d) is arguabl…