tl;dr: I suck at math. How can I get better?
It's apparent that some people just have a mathematical mind. They have no trouble at all "seeing" numbers in their head and manipulating them. I've never been one of those types. I've always done much better at reading and writing. I flunked math every single year of elementary school, and I only received passing grades after that because I was in the remedial classes.
I won't bore you with the details, but I've been trying to become a smarter person, and I think I should build up my math skills as much as possible. How can I do this?
Everyone knows that you become a better writer by exposing yourself to examples of good writing, studying grammar and style, and putting those skills to use by writing.
But how exactly do you "do" math? What I'm looking for is some kind of activity I can do that will build up this skill over time. I know that many universities like Cambridge and MIT offer open courses, but those seem to run on a semester schedule, and I'd prefer something that I can do whenever I have a spare hour or two.
I'm talking about something that starts at an almost total beginner's level. I can do addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and some very simple algebra equations, but that's it.
I'd appreciate any recommendations. Thanks!
>>7700199
Khanacademy.com
Seriously, the only way to get good at math is to practice over and over and over. Do problems until you can't forget the rules.
I've been "math-y" at times and "not math-y" at times. It depends how much you do it. When you do it a lot, and the concepts fit in your mind and you see the relationships between them, you'll be able to manipulate them well. It has less to do with ability than you think.
>>7700199
General rule of thumb, think geometrically, but work algebraically (this isn't to say algebraic intuition isn't important or helpful). Also, as the other anon pointed out, practice! Mathematics is not a spectator sport. Go back to the very basics and make sure you can do those and understand why they are true
>>7700199
Practice, practice, practice
Concentration's the number one attribute if you want to be successful in the field of mathematics.
This helps to memorize things visually and accurately, which is necessary for working formulas. The juxtaposition of formulae and function is something you'll have to use your imagination for, but can get quite interesting. I'm not kidding you when I say that mathematics is applied observation.
> I flunked math every single year of elementary school
There's most of your problem right there. If you didn't understand what was going on in the first grade, then you certainly aren't going to get the stuff that follows in the second grade... and the same for every year after. As you said, you're going to have to build up from the very beginning. And even worse, you're going to have to put in as much time as you would have over all those years.
Open courses often don't have to be done on the schedule of the course. I use edx.org and finish most of my courses months after they've really ended. So that's a good place to start if that's what you want. But sometimes it's better to be forced to work hard.
I learn well from books, so if I were you, I'd hit up some secondhand stores or used book stores and see if you can find some old school text books. Start at math 8 or wherever your level is (or even start below your level), and work through it. Read each section, and in a notebook, summarize that section in a single sentence of plain English. Do as many problems as you need to feel as though they're wasting your time, then move on to the next section.
That's the key, really. Do lots of problems. Practice practice practice. And those are typically found in text books.
>>7700207
Thanks! I've been doing some problems there the past hour.
Start from the beginning.
A strong foundation is key for absolutely anything, especially mathematics.
Do you know how to multiply fractions together? Do you know how to divide fractions together?
If you are not comfortable with simple algebra, then start from the absolute beginning.
And remember; studies have shown that people who are told they have the ability to become smarter through learning creating new pathways in the brain actually learn faster than people who aren't told anything. It is impossible for you to not improve at maths if you keep practicing.
But the very first thing you must ask yourself is "What do I not understand, and how do I begin to understand it?
>>7700405
Thanks for the tips; I'll keep those in mind. I do remember reading about the neural pathways somewhere.
After doing some problems on Khan Academy, I found that I actually remember more than I thought I did, and I caught on to some concepts very quickly, like plotting an equation on a graph.
All these answers have been very helpful. Thanks everyone!
>>7700199
Unfortunately, math isn't taught correctly and mathematicians are autistic as fuck, so the only way to learn the garbage they come up with is to drill it into your head.
Heck, at least math has some kind of structure. Try taking Orgo or an advanced chem class.
>>7700603
>i dont want to understand, I REFUSE to understand, I will attempt to memorize even college-level math.
kek, it's a good thing you need babby-level math and nothing else in whatever shitty field you're studying
