#Learning math

[maths-screaming]

Things That Are and Are Not Changing as a Result of Re-Teaching Myself Basic Math

Things That Are Changing

I am less anxious about basic math.

I have more tools for doing basic arithmetic problems.

I'm better at identifying which will be the fastest or easiest tool for any given problem.

I can more quickly and easily ID when an exact answer is needed or when an estimate will suffice.

I'm marginally better at noticing when an answer can't be correct.

Things That Are Not Changing

I still transpose numbers frequently.

I still transpose operations frequently (adding when I should subtract, dividing when I should multiply, etc.)

I still have initial anxiety when looking at a math problem, before the "oh yeah, I have more tools for addressing this now" kicks in.

I still frequently mix up my right and my left.

My sense of direction is still bad.

I cracked Maths - No Problem! Textbook 4A today, putting me halfway through the series. I'm making this list for future reference, because I suspect the things that aren't changing will continue to not change.

Better math education won't change the fact that I have dyscalculia. I didn't expect it to, but I also didn't know what it would or wouldn't change. When I started this, I didn't know where my dyscalculia ended and my poor math education or math anxiety began.

Still, if we can fix "poor math education" and "math anxiety," I'll be much further ahead than when I started - and more willing to live with the dyscalculia.

[algebraic-dumbass]

this might be a dumb question but like. how do you learn math without a class/curriculum to follow. i have a pretty solid calculus understanding and I want to pursue more advanced math but like im not sure where to start. what even is like category theory it sounds so cool but so scary???. do you have any recommendations on specific fields to begin to look into/whether its best to learn via courses or textbooks or lectures/etc.? any advice would be super appreciated!! dope blog by the way

thanks for the compliment!

first of all it's not a dumb question. trust me i'm the algebraic-dumbass I know what I'm talking about. okay so uh. how does one learn math without a class? it's already hard to learn math WITH a class, so uhhh expect to need motivation. i would recommend making friends with people who know more math than you so you have like, a bit more motivation, and also because math gets much easier if you have people you can ask questions to. Also, learning math can be kind of isolating - most people have no clue what we do.

That said, how does one learn more advanced math?

Well i'm gonna give my opinion, but if anyone has more advice to give, feel free to reblog and share. I suppose the best way to learn math on your own would be through books. You can complement them with video lectures if you want, a lot of them are freely available on the internet. In all cases, it is very important you do exercises when learning: it helps, but it's also the fun part (math is not a spectator sport!). I will say that if you're like me, working on your own can be quite hard. But I will say this: it is a skill, and learning it as early as possible will help you tremendously (I'm still learning it and i'm struggling. if anyone has advice reblog and share it for me actually i need it please)

Unfortunately, for ""basic"" (I'm not saying this to say it's easy but because factually I'm going to talk about the first topics you learn in math after highschool) math topics, I can't really give that much informed book recommendations as I learned through classes. So if anyone has book recommandations, do reblog with them. Anyways. In my opinion the most important skill you need to go further right now is your ability to do proofs!

That's right, proofs! Reasoning and stuff. All the math after highschool is more-or-less based on explaining why something is true, and it's really awesome. For instance, you might know that you can't write the square root of 2 as a fraction of two integers (it's irrational). But do you know why? Would you be able to explain why? Yes you would, or at least, you will! For proof-writing, I have heard good things about The Book of Proof. I've also heard good things about "The Art of Problem Solving", though I think this one is maybe a bit more competition-math oriented. Once you have a grasp on proofs, you will be ready to tackle the first two big topics one learns in math: real analysis, and linear algebra.

Real analysis is about sequences of real numbers, functions on the real numbers and what you can do with them. You will learn about limits, continuity, derivatives, integrals, series, all sorts of stuff you have already seen in calculus, except this time it will be much more proof-oriented (if you want an example of an actual problem, here's one: let (p_n) and (q_n) be two sequences of nonzero integers such that p_n/q_n converges to an irrational number x. Show that |p_n| and |q_n| both diverge to infinity). For this I have heard good things about Terence Tao's Analysis I (pdf link).

Linear algebra is a part of abstract algebra. Abstract algebra is about looking at structures. For instance, you might notice similarities between different situations: if you have two real numbers, you can add them together and get a third real number. Same for functions. Same for vectors. Same for polynomials... and so on. Linear algebra is specifically the study of structures called vector spaces, and maps that preserve that structure (linear maps). Don't worry if you don't get what I mean right away - you'll get it once you learn all the words. Linear algebra shows up everywhere, it is very fundamental. Also, if you know how to multiply matrices, but you've never been told why the way we do it is a bit weird, the answer is in linear algebra. I have heard good things about Sheldon Axler's Linear Algebra Done RIght.

After these two, you can learn various topics. Group theory, point-set topology, measure theory, ring theory, more and more stuff opens up to you. As for category theory, it is (from my pov) a useful tool to unify a lot of things in math, and a convenient language to use in various contexts. That said, I think you need to know the "lots of things" and "various contexts" to appreciate it (in math at least - I can't speak for computer scientists, I just know they also do category theory, for other purposes). So I don't know if jumping into it straight away would be very fun. But once you know a bit more math, sure, go ahead. I have heard a lot of good things about Paolo Aluffi's Algebra: Chapter 0 (pdf link). It's an abstract algebra book (it does a lot: group theory, ring theory, field theory, and even homological algebra!), and it also introduces category theory extremely early, to ease the reader into using it. In fact the book has very little prerequisites - if I'm not mistaken, you could start reading it once you know how to do proofs. it even does linear algebra! But it does so with an extremely algebraic perspective, which might be a bit non-standard. Still, if you feel like it, you could read it.

To conclude I'd say I don't really belive there's a "correct" way to learn math. Sure, if you pursue pure math, at some point, you're going to need to be able to read books, and that point has come for me, but like I'm doing a master's, you can get through your bachelor's without really touching a book. I believe everyone works differently - some people love seminars, some don't. Some people love working with other people, some prefer to focus on math by themselves. Some like algebra, some like analysis. The only true opinion I have on doing math is that I fully believe the only reason you should do it is for fun.

Hope I was at least of some help <3

[coralbasementcandy]

it's no secret to anyone that knows me that math isn't my strong suit. and being a girlie who works in stem, that obviously is not going to work out. so i decided to start khan academy's math courses starting with the early math review.

my plan is to move up and see where exactly does my math skills start to waver so i can build up that weak foundation.

i'm excited to see where this journey takes me and where my math levels will be at in a few months!!

any resources will be greatly appreciated.

[projectbatman193]

They're onto me 😱😱😱

[shadowbrightshine]

I was thinking through a young child sneaking into a high school might see learning and I had this thought. (I think I'm right I think I remember this correctly)

3! = 6.

! In math means you multiply by itself and each number down to 1. 3!= 3 * 2 *1

A kid might think of it like this.

The line is like a number line, and the dot means you multiply.

So this 3! Is more like this *--- and the number says how far you count down.

And the way the kid understands *1 is "dot 1 means you're done."

So 3*2*1 is 3*2, and 2 +2+2=6

So 3!=6

And 4!=24

Also I had the idea she's been hiding under a table and positioning a mirror to see the board so she learned to write backwards. She can sort of read forwards but she writes everything backwards and does math in the opposite direction.

[future-math]

Let's learn Algebra the right way!

Factoring polynomials full playlist

Algebra introduction playlist

[stripedsilktie]

i really think i need to study maths seriously bc it rewires the way one approaches things, it'd help me with problem solving, structuring my ideas and if i try hard enough it could even stimulate creativity and intuition BUT i have no clue where to start help help help

should i just buy a maths for dummies type book and hope for the best? i have no idea how to approach learning this on my own especially bc i've never been grest at it - my grades were fine but i know i am only good at applying basic stuff, now i want to actually understand and truly learn

[speedywonderlandtrash]

"Dear students, 'Play with numbers, find the solutions! 🤔✏️ Where numbers uncover the mysteries of our lives, and every question teaches us something new. Step into this fascinating world of mathematics, learn, and be amazed!'"

[radfemsiren]

Having basic computer skills and knowledge of the internet makes you understand male depravity and the scale of it so much more than the average person.

Whenever people accuse “misandrists” of being equally vile as incels, I always remember Porsche girl.

I learned about her when I was in high school, and just learning about 4chan and other male dominated forums. She was a girl that got into a car wreck that killed her, and destroyed her face. A cop leaked the photo sending it to his friends, and for years incels sent her mother pictures of her daughter’s shredded corpse. Her name was Nikki Catsouras, and her gore photos are immortalized forever due to male depravity.

That’s not even the most deprived case I heard of. Incels, for decades, have been on a level the most “extreme” misandrist would never stoop to. Please read any male dominated forum and educate yourself, you will stop feeling sorry for these creatures immediately. Esp trans identified men. You don’t even need an onion browser, just go to literally any one of their forums, even the heavily moderated Reddit ones, and you will be shocked by the amount of misogyny and aggression towards women.

My advice: stop feeling bad for men and learn basic cyber skills. Focus on making money and building female friendships. It will help you so much in life!

[aflawedfashion]

Ghosts 4x03 | Halloween 4: The Witch

[maths-screaming]

oh my godddddddd

"Ms. F, are you just taking photos of every math thing that makes you scream now?"

yes. yes, I am.

(Still Maths - No Problem, Textbook 3A)

So I bought the tens unit bricks because I know I am notoriously bad at adding/multiplying/etc. that involves tens. zeroes. orders of magnitude. whatever you call it. If it has zeroes at the end, I'm going to muddle it up.

And sure enough, I got anxious again looking at these sample problems. Until I looked at the helpful cartoon children (my personal math saviors) and their talk bubbles.

ARE YOU SERIOUSLY telling me that ALL THE YEARS I HAVE HATED AND FEARED QUESTIONS LIKE THESE, I could have just said to myself "three times four tens is twelve tens"? Or "four times eight tens is 32 tens"? And then written down "12" or "32" and just stuck a zero behind it??

I didn't have to keep track of that zero? I could have just turned it into a word??

Because HERE'S THE THING, y'all: I did just fine in chemistry when the math had units attached.

Not even kidding. Stoichiometry was my favorite part of chemistry classes, bar none. It looks like math but it doesn't require me to manipulate numbers; it requires me to line up units (moles, milliliters, whatever). If the unit tags all lined up correctly, the calculator did the rest.

ARE YOU SERIOUSLY telling me that if I treat the zeroes like a unit tag (linguistically speaking), THE REST COMES OUT? JUST LIKE THAT??

ALSO, ARE YOU SERIOUSLY telling me that THIS WORKS WITH ALL THE ZEROES??? My number sense still sucks but I strongly suspect this works with all the zeroes.

ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TELLING ME RIGHT NOW, RIGHT THE ACTUAL CRISPY CHEESESTEAK EFF NOW, that I can just say "three times four hundreds" in my head and write down 1200 and call it a day??????

I DID FORTY OF OUR GOOD LORD JESUS HECKING CHRIST'S OWN YEARS FREAKING OUT SIDEWAYS EVERY TIME I HAD TO MULTIPLY BY SOME TENS OR HUNDREDS WHEN I COULD HAVE JUST DONE WORDS??!!?!?!?!?!

I hate you.* I hate you all.**

You owe me cheesesteak.

---

*by "you" I mean my former math teachers

**who are nearly all dead now and thus immune to my displeasure

***I still want that cheesesteak

[cyfffff]

you’d think since dick was a mathlete hed b the number one guy to ask for help w math homework but actually he knows so much advanced math that the first time tim asked him for help with a simple geometry problem he pulled out his dusty ti-84 and started solving it in the most convoluted way that took an hour bc he was also just trying to relearn the math he hadn’t done in like 5 years. cue him screaming in frustration when he realized the actual way to do it would’ve taken him 2 minutes (tim asked him at the beginning if that way was right and he waved him off saying no) none of the batsibs can ask him for math help until they get to pre-calculus at least

[projectbatman193]

5 months of studying math and logic on brilliant, I'm quite enjoying this app, specially since it used to be my least favorite subject (math).

[locusfandomtime]

The maths fandom is wild. “Real” and “imaginary” numbers? I think you mean canon and non-canon. You guys seriously go “this is my number oc his name is i and he is the square root of -1” when in numbers canon lore it’s actually impossible to square root a negative but sure whatever. “Complex numbers”? I think you mean a character x oc ship. “f(x) = 3x - 5”? That is self-insert fanfiction.

[future-math]

How to integrate f(x)=Ln(x), Integration by Parts

For the full video with more explanation and examples, please go to my channel at; https://www.youtube.com/@FutureMath1