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Does anyone have adequate resources to share on learning Math "from scratch"? I must shamefully admit that anything beyond the basic symbols is entirely foreign

Does anyone have adequate resources to share on learning Math "from scratch"? I must shamefully admit that anything beyond the basic symbols is entirely foreign to me.

aesyondu 6y ago
It might help to clarify what type of Math you want to learn. E.g., right now I'm learning discrete math to improve my understanding of algorithms.
- Zealotux 6y ago
  You're right, I'm a developer so anything that could help me with algorithms is welcomed. I also have a growing interest in 3D so I suppose linear algebra?
  - ivan_ah 6y ago
    I have two books you might be interested in (written by me). If you want to review math fundamentals (high school math), the No Bullshit Guide to Mathematics will be good for you—condensed material for adult learners. Preview: https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSmath_v5_preview.pdf https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSmath_v5_previe... Concept map: https://minireference.com/static/conceptmaps/math_concepts.pdf https://minireference.com/static/conceptmaps/math_concepts.p... For linear algebra, check No Bullshit Guide to Linear Algebra. Preview: https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSLA_v2_preview.pdf https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSLA_v2_preview.... Concept map: https://minireference.com/static/conceptmaps/linear_algebra_concepts.pdf https://minireference.com/static/conceptmaps/linear_algebra_... You can find them in print on the amazons and in digital form on gumroad. Oh and as a general tip: make sure to do some problems while studying/reviewing. It's super important to put things into action, otherwise it's very easy to read and think you understand despite not having integrated the new knowledge. A few problems here and there though, and you can make very fast progress and remember things in the long term. As they say, math is not a spectator sport.
vansul 6y ago
This[0] was posted up on here a while ago - has some good book recommendations for teaching yourself maths (assuming you remember some basics from school[1]). I got a few of them and whilst they may have gathered some dust... They seem great! Also obliged to recommend Khan Academy and the 3Blue1Brown youtube channel - but they are probably best for fun/inspiration [0] 'Mathematics for the adventurous self-learner' -https://www.neilwithdata.com/mathematics-self-learner https://www.neilwithdata.com/mathematics-self-learner [1] If I knew zero maths I'd probably check out the basics on Khan Academy or maybe get a tutor
mellavora 6y ago
The sources and advice linked below are helpful. Given that we have no idea what level "from scratch" means, or your preferred learning style, I'm upvoting Khan academy on the basis of their map/pathway/dependency graph. Shows how topics build on each other and gives you a framework. The other piece of general advice is to define what it means to learn math. You only learn math by solving problems with it. Do the exercises. The theory is only there to enable you to do the exercises/problem sets. preferably on paper and pencil (yes even for sets of differential equations where you have to track 14 complex variables over multiple steps and you fuck up your answer because you mis-copied an exponent on line 12 of 35 lines. It is slow and difficult on paper, and that is an advantage when you are learning).
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
merelydev 6y ago
[Warning Advice from a Beginner] I started self learning Maths (number theory) this year from scratch I am extremely slow but I am progressing. My advice is take a textbook of the kind of maths you want to learn and skip the theory jump straight to the exercises do them and compare the answers, if your answers are wrong then read the theory. Also when doing exercises you can reference the theory but don't read the theory alone. One thing that will block you is notation, if you are a coder Math As Code [0] is great way to decode the advanced Mathematical symbols, It helped me start reading math: [0]- https://github.com/Jam3/math-as-code https://github.com/Jam3/math-as-code

Does anyone have adequate resources to share on learning Math "from scratch"? I must shamefully admit that anything beyond the basic symbols is entirely foreign to me.

aesyondu 6y ago

It might help to clarify what type of Math you want to learn. E.g., right now I'm learning discrete math to improve my understanding of algorithms.

Zealotux 6y ago
You're right, I'm a developer so anything that could help me with algorithms is welcomed. I also have a growing interest in 3D so I suppose linear algebra?
- ivan_ah 6y ago
  I have two books you might be interested in (written by me). If you want to review math fundamentals (high school math), the No Bullshit Guide to Mathematics will be good for you—condensed material for adult learners. Preview: https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSmath_v5_preview.pdf https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSmath_v5_previe... Concept map: https://minireference.com/static/conceptmaps/math_concepts.pdf https://minireference.com/static/conceptmaps/math_concepts.p... For linear algebra, check No Bullshit Guide to Linear Algebra. Preview: https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSLA_v2_preview.pdf https://minireference.com/static/excerpts/noBSLA_v2_preview.... Concept map: https://minireference.com/static/conceptmaps/linear_algebra_concepts.pdf https://minireference.com/static/conceptmaps/linear_algebra_... You can find them in print on the amazons and in digital form on gumroad. Oh and as a general tip: make sure to do some problems while studying/reviewing. It's super important to put things into action, otherwise it's very easy to read and think you understand despite not having integrated the new knowledge. A few problems here and there though, and you can make very fast progress and remember things in the long term. As they say, math is not a spectator sport.

vansul 6y ago

This[0] was posted up on here a while ago - has some good book recommendations for teaching yourself maths (assuming you remember some basics from school[1]). I got a few of them and whilst they may have gathered some dust... They seem great! Also obliged to recommend Khan Academy and the 3Blue1Brown youtube channel - but they are probably best for fun/inspiration [0] 'Mathematics for the adventurous self-learner' -https://www.neilwithdata.com/mathematics-self-learner https://www.neilwithdata.com/mathematics-self-learner [1] If I knew zero maths I'd probably check out the basics on Khan Academy or maybe get a tutor

mellavora 6y ago

The sources and advice linked below are helpful. Given that we have no idea what level "from scratch" means, or your preferred learning style, I'm upvoting Khan academy on the basis of their map/pathway/dependency graph. Shows how topics build on each other and gives you a framework. The other piece of general advice is to define what it means to learn math. You only learn math by solving problems with it. Do the exercises. The theory is only there to enable you to do the exercises/problem sets. preferably on paper and pencil (yes even for sets of differential equations where you have to track 14 complex variables over multiple steps and you fuck up your answer because you mis-copied an exponent on line 12 of 35 lines. It is slow and difficult on paper, and that is an advantage when you are learning).

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

merelydev 6y ago

[Warning Advice from a Beginner] I started self learning Maths (number theory) this year from scratch I am extremely slow but I am progressing. My advice is take a textbook of the kind of maths you want to learn and skip the theory jump straight to the exercises do them and compare the answers, if your answers are wrong then read the theory. Also when doing exercises you can reference the theory but don't read the theory alone. One thing that will block you is notation, if you are a coder Math As Code [0] is great way to decode the advanced Mathematical symbols, It helped me start reading math: [0]- https://github.com/Jam3/math-as-code https://github.com/Jam3/math-as-code