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Try http://www.math.smith.edu/~callahan/intromine.html http://www.math.smith.edu/~callahan/intromine.html which is a very conceptual and simulation-focused calc
by jacobolus 7y ago
Try http://www.math.smith.edu/~callahan/intromine.html http://www.math.smith.edu/~callahan/intromine.html which is a very conceptual and simulation-focused calculus curriculum, without so much symbol twiddling.
The concepts of calculus (the mathematics of motion and change) are absolutely fundamental across science, but being able to get closed-form solutions to tricky indefinite integrals (while an enjoyable puzzle) is only marginally useful per se.
> work through khan academy
YMMV, but I don’t find KA to be especially pedagogically enlightened. I think of it as roughly an average-quality high school lecture videotaped, plus a big pile of mindless exercises. It’s still nice that it exists: it makes a quality floor for students with below-average teachers, and is free for everyone in the world, without any forced schedule.
You’ll get roughly the same result from just reading a standard introductory textbook and working the problems.
For better results, if you can afford the time, hire / find a private tutor to meet with regularly face to face.
- saeranv 7y agoI think KA fulfills a critical niche in the ecosystem of online study materials out there: he actually works through the math in real time on his 'blackboard'. That's one thing you can't get from watching 3Blue1Brown videos, or reading through textbooks. Personally, I find I learn best when I can work my way through at least three/four different forms of understanding: initial intuition (ideally geometric) of the problem (i.e 3B1B, BetterExplained), the theoretical, proof-based solution you get from textbooks where you can see the derivation of the math concept, and finally, working through problems with a pen and paper. The fourth one is being able to code it from scratch or with the help from a basic library like numpy. KA helps immensely with that third form.
- amatic 7y agoDownloaded the Calculus in Context when I read the your comment. That is exactly the kind of approach to math I appreciate and understand. I've been reading it and enjoying making simulations during the weekend. Thanks!