Yes, and notation is key. If there is even just one symbol that the student can't understand, then the entire understanding of the paragraph, or even entire boo

Yes, and notation is key. If there is even just one symbol that the student can't understand, then the entire understanding of the paragraph, or even entire book, is at stake. However, I do think that examples and applications help a great deal. Sometimes, a mere description of first principles doesn't do it for me, and then, when I see an actual example, I suddenly understand it and the theory along with it.