I guess I'm similar in that I left high school with very little mathematical knowledge. I've struggled with many many maths books over the years which usually a

I guess I'm similar in that I left high school with very little mathematical knowledge. I've struggled with many many maths books over the years which usually assume you have a certain background, or don't explain things very well, or only explain things using notation which they don't explain. The books that helped me the most are "Mastering Mathematics", and "Mastering Advanced Pure Mathematics" both by Geoff Buckwell. They will take you through UK GCSE and A-Level maths, from nothing to calculus. They have plenty of examples and exercises to work through. Just start at the beginning and work through them. They are based on a UK curriculum though, so that may or may not be what you want.