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What are good online sources for a beginner to learn calculus, linear algebra and stats/probability needed for machine learning? I don't want courses that teac

What are good online sources for a beginner to learn calculus, linear algebra and stats/probability needed for machine learning? I don't want courses that teach math by coding but actual math courses. A lot of these online ML courses treat math as a black box so you never fully understand what's going on & a lot of math based ML courses are too advanced. So I'd rather focus on understanding the math basics before diving into ML. So what do you guys recommend?

egdamy 10y ago
Why not a book instead like the elements of statistical learning? http://statweb.stanford.edu/~tibs/ElemStatLearn/download.html http://statweb.stanford.edu/~tibs/ElemStatLearn/download.htm...
- hackernewsacct 10y ago
  Based on Amazon reviews recommending this book to a beginner is like recommending rudin to a high school junior that wants to learn calculus for the first time. Is there a better book?
  - smalley 10y ago
    Introduction to Statistical Learning? It's free and has an available MOOC http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~gareth/ISL/ http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~gareth/ISL/
    - hackernewsacct 10y ago
      Thanks for the link. https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Statistical-Learning-Prediction-Statistics/dp/0387848576 https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Statistical-Learning-Predict... vs https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Statistical-Learning-Applications-Statistics/dp/1461471370/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_0/154-7991761-3362320?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YG2KQEC1JWSP85B5P1K0 https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Statistical-Learning-App... The former seems to assume prior knowledge and the latter seems more beginner friendly, except it uses R (in case anyone wants the distinction).
      - gubbe 10y ago
        These books assume some degree of Linear Algebra, ESL is definitely not for a entry level. I would like to add www.codingthe matrix.com for any developers, which has a MOOC as well (Coursera), as a complement to Strang.
      - disgruntledphd2 10y ago
        R is well worth learning if you're going to be doing any serious work with data. It's a weird-ass language, but it does data analysis/graphing/modelling really, really well.
  - rmonroe 10y ago
    I support this statement. Not a book for beginners, IMO
- windsignaling 10y ago
  This is in no way appropriate for someone who is asking for math basics. A lot of the material in this book makes much more sense having had experience coding machine learning algorithms.
mlboss 10y ago
Linear Algebra by Gilbert Strang, MIT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK3O402wf1c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK3O402wf1c Probability by Joe Blitzstein, Harvard http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/stat110/youtube http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/stat110/youtube
- hackernewsacct 10y ago
  Excellent, thanks for you recommendation!
- aswanson 10y ago
  Gilbert Strang is an excellent lecturer and teacher. He, along with Andrew Ng, are amongst the best.
tsomctl 10y ago
Calculus, by James Stewart. I recommend you buy a dead tree copy of an old edition (I paid $5 for mine, shipped. I don't know how they made money off that sale.) Might not be the best book, but it covers everything you need to know, has good exercises, everyone uses it, you can find the solutions manual online, and the harder problems have an answer on stack overflow. And some linear algebra book by Strang (as others have said.) I don't remember which one I learned from, but I do remember it was excellent. I can't recommend a good stats/probability book. People recommend Statistical Inference by Casella and Berger, although I wasn't super impressed with it. You'll also want a good understanding of set theory and proof writing. I don't remember what book I learned from, but try to find some introduction to math thought. This is all assuming you have a good understanding of algebra. The above mentioned books require geometry/trig, but you don't actually need that for machine learning.
- weaksauce 10y ago
  > Calculus, by James Stewart I learned from the Stewart book and it's not terrible, but I don't think that is a very good book for self learning. How to ace calculus or the calculus lifesaver, plus a book with solved examples is probably better for self study.
- NamTaf 10y ago
  This was my university calculus textbook and I liked it well enough. Granted, I was learning with the assistance of lectures to teach me the concepts too so I don't know how you'd fare with only this textbook, but I liked it well enough to drop coin on a physical copy. My philosophy with textbooks was to buy only ones I felt I'd go back to after uni - basic references in each major field I studied - and this was reasonable for me for calculus. My only regret was shelling out for new copies because I was young and stupid and thought I needed them right now for the class, before I knew better. You can certainly pick up cheap second-hand copies per the parent post. I also used Kreyzig too but found that to be a bit harder to learn from, albeit more in depth.
- physicsyogi 10y ago
  I'd also recommend Calculus for the Practical Man. It's what Feynman used and is quite good for learning how to calculate various things with calculus. Incidentally, my college calculus class also used Stewart.
sn9 10y ago
Google "MIT OCW Scholar". Sites like Khan Academy, PatrickJMT, Paul's Online Math Notes, and BetterExplained are useful, too. Coursera and edx also have offerings.
- ovi256 10y ago
  Khan Academy is an amazing true MOOC resource. The calculus goes up to early undergrad. The differential calculus is the most important for ML, in my oppinion. Probability and statistics will help ML as well. I would recommend Khan Academy before any other resources, whatever your level. It has online exercises with auto-correction, and a mastering system that uses spaced repetition. This will ensure you'll actually assimilate the material. After you can use another resource as a reference.
deepnotderp 10y ago
Ocw and Gilbert strangs material is a must for linear algebra. For beginners, I enjoyed Stewart calculus.
adamnemecek 10y ago
For linear algebra this youtube playlist called essence of linear algebra is probably the best intro I've ever seen. it's relatively short (like 2 hours) but gives you all the right intuitions https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZHQObOWTQDPD3MizzM2xVFitgF8hE_ab https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZHQObOWTQDPD3MizzM2x...
stale2002 10y ago
Step 1: buy a Car Step 2: duct tape a lidar to the top of the car Step 3: ???? Step 4: enjoy your self driving car

egdamy 10y ago

Why not a book instead like the elements of statistical learning? http://statweb.stanford.edu/~tibs/ElemStatLearn/download.html http://statweb.stanford.edu/~tibs/ElemStatLearn/download.htm...

hackernewsacct 10y ago
Based on Amazon reviews recommending this book to a beginner is like recommending rudin to a high school junior that wants to learn calculus for the first time. Is there a better book?
- smalley 10y ago
  Introduction to Statistical Learning? It's free and has an available MOOC http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~gareth/ISL/ http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~gareth/ISL/
  - hackernewsacct 10y ago
    Thanks for the link. https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Statistical-Learning-Prediction-Statistics/dp/0387848576 https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Statistical-Learning-Predict... vs https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Statistical-Learning-Applications-Statistics/dp/1461471370/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_0/154-7991761-3362320?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YG2KQEC1JWSP85B5P1K0 https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Statistical-Learning-App... The former seems to assume prior knowledge and the latter seems more beginner friendly, except it uses R (in case anyone wants the distinction).
    - gubbe 10y ago
      These books assume some degree of Linear Algebra, ESL is definitely not for a entry level. I would like to add www.codingthe matrix.com for any developers, which has a MOOC as well (Coursera), as a complement to Strang.
    - disgruntledphd2 10y ago
      R is well worth learning if you're going to be doing any serious work with data. It's a weird-ass language, but it does data analysis/graphing/modelling really, really well.
- rmonroe 10y ago
  I support this statement. Not a book for beginners, IMO
windsignaling 10y ago
This is in no way appropriate for someone who is asking for math basics. A lot of the material in this book makes much more sense having had experience coding machine learning algorithms.

mlboss 10y ago

Linear Algebra by Gilbert Strang, MIT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK3O402wf1c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK3O402wf1c Probability by Joe Blitzstein, Harvard http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/stat110/youtube http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/stat110/youtube

hackernewsacct 10y ago
Excellent, thanks for you recommendation!
aswanson 10y ago
Gilbert Strang is an excellent lecturer and teacher. He, along with Andrew Ng, are amongst the best.

tsomctl 10y ago

Calculus, by James Stewart. I recommend you buy a dead tree copy of an old edition (I paid $5 for mine, shipped. I don't know how they made money off that sale.) Might not be the best book, but it covers everything you need to know, has good exercises, everyone uses it, you can find the solutions manual online, and the harder problems have an answer on stack overflow. And some linear algebra book by Strang (as others have said.) I don't remember which one I learned from, but I do remember it was excellent. I can't recommend a good stats/probability book. People recommend Statistical Inference by Casella and Berger, although I wasn't super impressed with it. You'll also want a good understanding of set theory and proof writing. I don't remember what book I learned from, but try to find some introduction to math thought. This is all assuming you have a good understanding of algebra. The above mentioned books require geometry/trig, but you don't actually need that for machine learning.

weaksauce 10y ago
> Calculus, by James Stewart I learned from the Stewart book and it's not terrible, but I don't think that is a very good book for self learning. How to ace calculus or the calculus lifesaver, plus a book with solved examples is probably better for self study.
NamTaf 10y ago
This was my university calculus textbook and I liked it well enough. Granted, I was learning with the assistance of lectures to teach me the concepts too so I don't know how you'd fare with only this textbook, but I liked it well enough to drop coin on a physical copy. My philosophy with textbooks was to buy only ones I felt I'd go back to after uni - basic references in each major field I studied - and this was reasonable for me for calculus. My only regret was shelling out for new copies because I was young and stupid and thought I needed them right now for the class, before I knew better. You can certainly pick up cheap second-hand copies per the parent post. I also used Kreyzig too but found that to be a bit harder to learn from, albeit more in depth.
physicsyogi 10y ago
I'd also recommend Calculus for the Practical Man. It's what Feynman used and is quite good for learning how to calculate various things with calculus. Incidentally, my college calculus class also used Stewart.

sn9 10y ago

Google "MIT OCW Scholar". Sites like Khan Academy, PatrickJMT, Paul's Online Math Notes, and BetterExplained are useful, too. Coursera and edx also have offerings.

ovi256 10y ago
Khan Academy is an amazing true MOOC resource. The calculus goes up to early undergrad. The differential calculus is the most important for ML, in my oppinion. Probability and statistics will help ML as well. I would recommend Khan Academy before any other resources, whatever your level. It has online exercises with auto-correction, and a mastering system that uses spaced repetition. This will ensure you'll actually assimilate the material. After you can use another resource as a reference.

deepnotderp 10y ago

Ocw and Gilbert strangs material is a must for linear algebra. For beginners, I enjoyed Stewart calculus.

adamnemecek 10y ago

For linear algebra this youtube playlist called essence of linear algebra is probably the best intro I've ever seen. it's relatively short (like 2 hours) but gives you all the right intuitions https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZHQObOWTQDPD3MizzM2xVFitgF8hE_ab https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZHQObOWTQDPD3MizzM2x...

stale2002 10y ago

Step 1: buy a Car Step 2: duct tape a lidar to the top of the car Step 3: ???? Step 4: enjoy your self driving car