How To Self-Study Math
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- Опубліковано 9 тра 2024
- In this video I give a step by step guide on how to self-study mathematics. I talk about the things you need and how to use them so that you can make the best use of your time.
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Thank you:)
"Not everything will make sense and that's normal" - the most relieving thought I got in a while, while studying math.
yeah I like to beat myself up sometimes when i dont understand what im reading
Share with us ,what was reviling?
@@konradczerkas7817 The fact that quite often the theory or explanations doesn't make sense to me. So I go again and again through them to understand the meaning.
a student once asked my 8th grade physics teacher why it is like that and he just answered "its just like that theres no reason" - the relief i had when i heard that was indescribably
I just need reassurance
For anyone struggling with learning anything. Set a timer for 20min and then take a 10 min break. Slowly increase your time spent studying and decrease your time spent breaking. This is a great tactic, especially for learning math.
With a reward once the timer goes off - tells the brain that doing the work is a positive association
Or Pomodoro technique for sure ......
yes i am also a pomodoro slave
@@tanishkjain3049 it’s a kind of pomodoro technic
From the time I hear math it feels like I stepped in shit ngl
I have a love-hate relationship with maths. I love the concept behind it and how everything can be explained by it, and I love solving math problems when I get the answers right and understand it. However, I get super frustrated whenever I get calculations wrong, and my math teacher doesn’t really explain stuff to us.
But this video is so inspiring and makes the process of math studying like a ritual. Huge thanks, I can’t wait to do math tomorrow actually!
Same situation with myself, I'm taking precalculus in college and while I love the problems, I don't understand a lot of them and I end up getting bad grades. It's complicated, I'm hoping to become a better student.
The problem is that you expect to answer every question correctly which makes you feel frustrated after getting one wrong that also happens to me
@@basselh418 it’s so annoying right
@@leilaschrof529 same pre calc is so hard everyone else seems to get it
My friend, can you write a summary of the video, the important points
Hey, I really like your method. I use very similar approach, except I don’t have a piece of paper and pen. Instead I use a white board, as I like standing and talking while studying. I often imagine that I am a teacher standing infront of a class, having to explain what I have just read. When I get stuck I go back to the textbook and read it again. The process is really fun and you learn a lot, but it is super time consuming. Revising whole chapter can take up to 6-8 hours.
👍👍
I do that but in my head
@@TheMathSorcerer epic
The Feynman technique hmm...
@@HypnoDrip I don´t know what it is called, but works just fine
1. Gather your supplies. - Timer, pen, paper to write on without any lines.
2. Pick a quiet location, (very secluded and quite spot to sit down). But if you failed at it, try to find a place you can go.
3. Pick a book- grab a mathbook and start reading it.
.ex) calculus- James Stewart/
(Advice of reading book)
-What section you want to read? -something that's interesting but pushes you a little bit. or you feel uncomfortable.
4. Set the timer to an 1 hour.
5. Start reading a book to make sure you know that definiton
-Try writing down the definiton without looking at the book until you know it
6. Prove it on your own without looking at the solution and do a couple of more practice.
7. Continue reading and doing all the examples.
8. Try to understand as much as you can from the examples given in the book.
9. Starting doing as many problems as you can. -Answering to odd problems is a good help.
10. Problems without any examples - Try to go back to the section and gain some information you can use to help solve the problems.
11. Reflect what you did, how meaningful your time was. -> You learn a lot from mathematics.
12. Buy a binder and stack it on it or throw it away.
13. If you feel uncomfortable or confusing about the math concepts, Study more.
14. Pick an another book to understand it completely.
The part about the definition is a bit unclear
How does one start writing down what it means, without even looking at the book? Do you mean, read it first and then put down the definition in your own words?
@@Saturnia2014 I think what he meant was to read, then write down what you remember, then go back look at the sections you missed and repeat step1-2 until you can fully recollect everything.
about the blank paper thing theres no way my ocd ass will let me "waste" that much paper
also the number of books you seem to need at university level seems scary - btw i am at late high school level but have a great interest in learning extra math
I love how empty and plain your study is. It’s like you are some sort of math monk. Very minimalist and very clean as well.
Having as little distractions as possible is the best way to focus on your work in my opinion !
can be a good name for a youtube channel : "The math monk"😜😅😉
He's the math sorcerer, so like a level 10 monk basically 🧙♂️
yeah. I think most of us are supposedly in the "spectrum of ADHD", but really we do lack "empty" spaces like that for decades now (after the internet became the norm).
Not only he mentions what to study and how to study maths but also he provides nitty-gritty details about the overall process such as what pen and pencils you would be comfortable with and what not. REALLY loved it.
❤️
@@TheMathSorcerer Got a question? If I'm a teenager (11th grade) can I take Calculus ?
@@watynecc3309 yeah you def. can. if u want, I can send you a book for calc 1 that I use (1st year undergraduate).
I would rather call these details "water", as they actually do not contribute as much as you think. they won't help you to study and thus completely irrelevant
@@watynecc3309 russian kids (ussr's) learned this in 3th grade
Dude straight up does math for fun, I barely passed my math courses in engineering and you turn it into a hobby lol.
I also used printing paper not because I'm smart but because it's way cheaper than lined paper. I keep the nice stuff for taking notes and summeries.
Man i also wanna pursue an engineering major, could you answer some of my questions about that, please?
@@yourdream28 I haven't graduated yet but I'll try to help you as much as I can
@@kinnikuzero alright, appreciate that!
1. What would you suggest me to do in order to prepare for a (mechanical) engineering major?(now I'm in 10/11 grade) for example: study a lot of physics or smth else..
2. Is studying engineering hard? Like do u have a lot of homework, tests, or stuff to learn
3. Do you have time to hang out with friends/classmates?
@@yourdream28 Even though you didn't ask for my help but here's what I think you should do.
1. To prepare for Mechanical Engineering, I think that'll involve lots of physics so I'll suggest taking Physics for Engineers (maybe Physics AP???) to cover your prerequisites. However, a better advice would be to talk with your advisor that's related to a program in Mechanical Engineering in your university.
2. Studying engineering can be "hard" but really, it's about the same as you'll study any STEM class. From my experience, as long as you're disciplined to study then you should be fine. Just know that you'll be frustrated sometimes and you should always ask for help. Studying engineering isn't a solo journey and you need to be cooperative with your classmates and professors. So far, my math class is pretty hard (taking Partial Differential Equations) and I'm relying for help on the internet and the class haha.
3. Not really?? Mainly because I don't really have friends and college isn't really the environment for me to make friends. However, that doesn't mean that you can't make friends. Everyone's journey is different so in your case, if you're really social then yeah you'll probably will try to find time to make friends but don't be surprised if you can't make time on certain days.
As far as I've seen, people tend to paint Engineering as a "doom and gloom" major but they're pretty memeable and not a reflection of the overall major. If you enjoy what you study and have the discipline for it, then it's not all that bad. I have moments where I'm stressed out and can't sleep and eat during finals but once all that's over then it's rewarding once you can just chill and relax. Don't be afraid to drop classes to minimize the load a bit cause you can always take it in another semester. You don't wanna fail a class and waste all that $$$. Overall, talk with your advisor for any questions you have about your major to get an idea on what to prepare in order for you to get admitted.
P.S. Seeing how you're still in high school, you can get a head start on taking some advance math like Calculus if your high school offered one. If your school can also offer concurrent enrollment classes that can transfer to your university then I'll highly recommend taking those just to get the general credits out of the way. Saves you time and money by a ton. Good luck
@@OceanIgs appreciate your help man! Umm.. a bad thing is that in my school we don't even have ANY AP, just 6-7 classes a day and that's it BUT our teachers lead extra classes on their disciplines for those who want to pass an exam(important exam after 11 grade) so i think i can ask those teachers if i can come there and study more math/physics+ ask them any questions
Thanks again for helping me!
"Just pick a book and go with it" that sounded so poetic I almost cried.
👍👍👍
I know this is a year old so sorry but... LMBO
@@sauce8277Does that stand for "Laughing My Bussy Off"?
What works for me is even if I have no understanding of the concept, I still follow the steps anyway to solve. I continue onto the next lessons that build on it even though I have no real understanding or what the purpose is. I push myself to at least get the correct solutions and try to see patterns. Over time and with lots of repetition, I get the solutions more easily. Then one day, months later, it will automatically all fit together in my head and I can't believe it took me so long. I use this method all the time and it works. People think I am a genius with math, if they only knew how long it takes me to figure stuff out.
Inspiring, hoping I would be great in Math soon🤓
This is the way!
That's basically what I do.
"only a few enlightened ones like Euler etc really understand math. The rest of us mortals just get used to its notation" lol
Yeah, I had integrals like 4 months ago, and during a random math class a few weeks ago about probability calculus it clicked together. I've concluded that I am stupid
You don't study maths. You practice it relentlessly until you're so good that you can never get below an A for any test or exam.
Thats studying
I feel like one thing that has saved me an INSANE amount of time when studying is not trying to understand *how* the math works, but instead to just *accept* that it works and instead focus on learning how to effectively apply it.
For real! Sometimes I can't logically accept certain math concepts because my knowledge is incomplete, and I feel like I can't move on! Gotta roll with the punches and get more foundational knowledge later
Never, ever doing that, personally. I need to get it from the ground up or I'll never remember any of it.
By doing that does the “Why” sometimes hit you later on like a eureka moment and you finally understand why something works?
I could never do that in school. I was asking teachers “Why? How do you know for sure? “ If they said “Just accept it” 😠 without (being able?) to explain why or show me how or come up with some proof, my brain declined what ever they were saying after.
And indeed I know several teachers, especially math and history teachers did not like having me in their class 😅. But you know what as time went on my questioning was justified as far as example history lessons go.
I’m sure had I just been the kind of kid to repeat without question I would have gotten much farther than I have in this society.
@@sentientartificialintelligence High five :P
You know what if even they could have explained WHY I just had to accept I think maybe I could have. Things just need to make sense in some shape or form. Have a good day you inquisitive George :)
@@fuzzylogics139 Yes it definitely does happen from time to time when I finally actually understand the "why" of something and it is a very satisfying moment. The only problem with insisting on understanding the "why" from the beginning is you end up speding a LOT of time and energy trying to completely understand a very specific topic when you could've moved on and covered 3 other topics in the same amount of time.
thats the way I look at it anyway. Kinda like how when you're driving your car you don't question why its able to do what it does or the intricacies of how the engine and transmission system work, you just accept that they work.
Nice! I am almost 40 years old and I decided a while back to start self-studying math. I used to love math back when I was in school but I did not have a good experience studying math and physics at a university some 20 years ago so I dropped out altogether and stopped doing math for years.
But not too long ago my cousin asked me for help on her math homework and helping her reignited my passion for math so I dug up my old Calculus textbook from university that had been collecting dust in storage for 20 years and I am working my way through it. The book is called: Calculus: a Complete Course by Robert A Adams. I am using the 5th edition but there are newer editions of it now. I don't know how it compares to other Calculus books but I think it is alright. The problems in it are great but I find the proofs in it to be somewhat hard to follow sometimes.
I am also studying a bit of Abstract Algebra and I want to start to study Topology at some later date. I am also watching and enjoying your Differential Equations lectures on your channel. Interesting and fun!
Math Sorcerer, I really like your content. Keep up the good work. Greetings from Iceland.
👍
@@TheMathSorcerer bruh he wrote all of that and you sent him a thumbs up 😂😂. I guess you are busy studying Math 🤷♂️
@@mohamedkotb2153 Lmao!!! Then the quick heart on your call out! He’s even dropping math in these comments
I cant tell if your being serious in the supply section 😭😭😭😭
Lmao same 😂
Me with my iPad…
Funny enough I do the same things when I’m learning some math. I found 1 hour to be a perfect studying interval as well :) 2 things I would recommend to everyone , which are related to the “quiet spot tip”: make sure your environment is also visually quiet ie) minimal clutter, even if it’s just in your fieldof view and behind you is a disaster. And the other similar tip is to make sure it smells good :) it really helps relax and put you into a better mood, which makes it easier to concentrate in my opinion.
Makes sense, thanks
Agree
As I was learning Pre-Calculus, I did a little advanced study. For the minutes I was studying, I learned the first basic topic pretty quickly. However, I got lazy and stopped for a while lol. But that was fine because I want to spend the last days of my vacation.
For me it was learning advanced statistics in order to get professional certifications. I had plenty of study material and sample problems, but what really helped was my wife's ancient college textbook that actually explained the concepts I needed to understand. Then I just worked sample problems for hundreds of hours until I got to the point where I just KNEW what equations to use and why. Once I got to that point taking the certification exams was easy.
that's awesome, thanks for your comment:)
@@TrueRandomization Since my knowledge of statistics predates UA-cam by many years, I never bothered to look any of that up.
That's the good thing about stats, if you know the formula and how to solve certain problems. It's actaully relatively easy... As you said just repeat them over and over until you remeber them
Totally agree at 07:40, where you say that it's good to have many different books. That's exactly what I did during university. For every topic that was studied, I'd go through the corresponding chapter/concept for different books in the library till I found a clear explanation I liked and take notes with a reference to the book. Ended up having notes sourced from many different books, but concepts explained in the clearest way. A library is super useful for this.
I like people who are good at math because they always have clear thinking, logic, and always have learning methods, they are easy to be trusted by others because they can solve all the problems. When they study, they are very focused and serious, they really work on something that makes me think of scientists, so professional.
Hi math sorcerer! I've been scared of maths all my life for some reason and I love physics so maths always comes along with it. I've always felt like giving up on mathematics because I've been so scared but sometimes I've also felt good when I studied maths. Your videos helped me in a very terrible time of my life, and encouraged me to not give up on the subject. I'm still trying my best and learning but thank you so much for making stuff like this!! Much love
i think i follow u on ig.
@@adibasiddiqui4387 are you from pramana clg cause I know a person with same name
I typically did math with unlined, printer paper. Also, one of my favorite things to do when taking notes was to try to make an outline. That would make me think about not having items (bullet points) that would be too long. I found that good for remembering instead of just copying stuff down, which I used to do a lot in high school
Pure Gold from the Math Sorcerer! Once again, this is inspirational advice to all those whom struggle to get started on good study habits. This is how learning happens!
This channel is by far the most useful, informative, practical channel on the internet. Thanks MS
Thanks for your suggestions, they make a lot of sense. When studying abstract Math, every so often I run into sections that are dry, and without (to me) obvious application to Physics, which is really what I enjoy. In order not to lose my motivation to continue studying (and decide to pause the book for the day), what I do instead is look up UA-cam videos on the subject, and after watching one or two of them, I'm ready to go on with my book. This way I'm always making progress; I find the variety of media really helpful!
Thank you for this video. I just returned to maths after 15 years away from school. I hope to go further this time then I’ve ever gone before and this was the perfect video to guide me :)
Great video! Additionally I’ve found that detailed analytical work is best done in a physically low-ceiling environment (like the room in the video) and in the first part of the day (0-9 hours after waking), and creative work is best done in a high-ceiling environment (like outdoors) in the second part of the day (9-16 hours after waking).
Awesome, thank you! Very interesting!
2 minutes into this video and I can already tell that you are incredible at what you do. Perfect introduction to doing focused work.
Indeed it's essential to reflect on our study sessions. We have to remind ourselves of what we accomplished, even if only for 30 minutes. I use primarily unruled paper and punch holes in them to store in a large binder, though I sometimes use lined paper and graph paper for notes and exercises on functions and graphs. I also keep my work in a file box or organizer.
Thanks for the video Math Sorcerer!
Thank you so much for your continuous effort to make quality math content ❤️
2:29 I have a lot of books on the same subject, but at all different levels of difficulty. That helps me practice consistently, since my mood, energy level and motivation can change a lot at any given time. On bad days I can just do something easy. On good days I can challenge myself. On normal days I can do something at a moderate difficulty level.
Just the video I was looking for, a step by step process to study math. So much value here!
Glad it was helpful!
your workspace looks really clean aesthetic minimalistic clean and quiet, loved it
Thank you for the tips! I'm going to try out some of those supplies using your links.
Yes! Your no lines recommendation is great! When I started taking advanced physics classes in college, I intuitively felt I should start using paper with no lines - so much better. Especially for physics with all the diagrams and stuff. Such a minor change but a huge mental relief.
I know, you've taught . It ans so much to so many people, you are helping us pursue our dreams! Love from Sweden
Great video! I start precalculus this semester, and im looking forward to it.
I watched this video in December of 2022. I had never made it past pre-algebra in highschool and was terrified of the subject. Fast forward to September 2023, and I’m currently pursuing an associates degree in mathematics. I do math every single day and I’m absolutely in love with the subject. It’s become an escape for me. After a long day, sitting down and doing some algebra has become my preferred method of decompression. Thank you for inspiring me.
One thing i do differently is use graph paper. It helps keep all my variables, constants, and operators organized and neat. I am also able to immediately accurately hand graph if necessary which is nice for figuring out tranformations. When im done with the paper, i put it into a paper protector and place it in a binder for the book im studying.
In my binder, i have a page dedicated to each chapter section that outlines the intended take aways, the tools/rules it teaches, and the definitions in the chapter section. This is the cover page for the problems i do for that section so i can go back and reference it and worked examples.
Love that line-free paper. So much easier to look at.
Thanks so much - great video! I will certainly apply it! :)
Your desk is an oasis of organization and tidiness! It's truly inspiring to see such a neat and clean workspace. Not only does it create a pleasant and inviting atmosphere, but it also reflects your dedication to efficiency and productivity. Keep up the fantastic work, and may your tidy desk continue to be a source of inspiration for us all!
I am old and going back over what i learnt 40 yrs ago just to
give the gears a bit of grease as i get older and i have found
learning the material is fairly straight forward but remembering it is
another matter...Hope to live long enough to get through the curriculum for
undergrad physics and math...fingers crossed.
Back in the early eighties, I was determined to teach myself math, from basic algebra, on through to intermediate algebra and trigonometry, and finally, calculus. And although I was dedicated to understand it, the material was new to me, and so there was a lot of good stuff that I learned imperfectly. But on putting down the material for a while - a LONG while - and then picking it up again, I was much looser with it, and it was a joy to find that it was much easier the second time around. Not only that, but my appreciation for mathematics was fuller and richer, on coming back to it after having struggled with it on the first go around.
Thank you so very much for the excellent advice. I really appreciate it. I am going to take your advice about reflecting on what I have learned, and become more motivated to self study.
The most precise, detailed and best math channel we all have ever seen.
Generally speaking good advice , although I disagree with "doing as many problems as you can " .It may take a decade to go through a thick Calculus textbook . Even at the most elite Universities rarely have I seen more than 300 homework problems assigned in a semester of Cal 1, 2 or 3.Knowing when to stop is an Art that needs to be mastered ...The self study person can also ask questions on Math Stack Exchange ...You will notice that the higher the level of Math is ,the more difficult self studying becomes (this is why we have Universities ) .Also at the high levels way beyond Calculus , you have to make sure you have the best books available , which is not always easy to find or judge....
Yes, that has always been a predicament to me. Every time I decide to learn mathematics on my own, my OCD gets me stuck in the problems section. I feel like if I left one exercise undone I'm going to miss something important. Then I got disappointed for my slow progress and quit.
@@tusharmuraliold A prime number generator is far worse than using my own judgement. But I like that this way only odd numbers will show up and those will most likely have answers in the end.
@@dacely omg, this is exactly word for word the same process as mine and it so frustrating and sad how badly my learning curve has been impacted due to this
@@vaishnavi2608 so change
When I was at university, our maths assignments, to be completed at home, comprised dozens of similar problems to solve using the techniques covered in the lecture. Up to us how many we did. The lecturers didn't mark it. We're university undergrads, it's not school or college and self discipline is key.
The more you do, the more practise you get, the better you get. And of course, ultimately at the end of the year if study, we did examination papers.
++ on unlined paper! In grad school exams we were often given thin "notebooks" of unlined paper on which to do calculations or derivations as required, to be turned in with the exam. Erasures and scratch outs got pretty messy. A classmate used a wide felt tip marker as an "eraser", making what remained much more legible - a trick I borrowed and use to this day, over 45years later. Also saved precious time during the exam. :)
Amazing video! I wish I could've watched this 10+ years ago when I was studying calc at university. I feel like no one ever really explained to me how to think about math or read the text books, so I always struggled as soon as I had some difficulties 😥
I need this!! After graduating from college in CS and working as a programmer, I haven’t learned anything new and my job is getting stale. Learning math is helping my brain!
I’ve been self teaching myself calculus for the past 2 months, basically just working through the Ap calc BC course. I’m a senior in high school and I’m looking to study physics in college. I failed calc last year so this year I’m trying again on my own. I’ve been taking some of the most detailed and in depth notes I’ve ever taken and it really has made a difference. I have entire pages dedicated to just practice on even the simple things. I’ve never really understood the importance of a specific place to study until now. I cleaned us a space solely to study calculus and it pays off. I turn on some soft music and get to work. Because of this good studying too, I have actually found I’m enjoying it. I hated calculus last year so it feels strange now, but I think having my better study habits has helped me better understand and by proxy appreciate the content for what it actually means. I will definitely be applying some of what you mentioned here to my time and try to keep this up. I know I’ll be taking calc in college since I didn’t get the credit, but I really want to go in understanding what I’m doing. Even if it means that I’m ahead of the class, I now have this love for math that I wouldn’t care. It’s a weird situation.
Basically what I’m trying to get at is that proper study habits not only improve how well you learn the content, but it can also improve how much you enjoy what you’re doing. If you are slaving away for hours on end just trying to finish, you will hate what you learn, but if you work through it at a reasonable pace and take the time to genuinely understand the content and it’s meaning, you will have a great time.
Even though this was a year ago, reading this made me feel happy for you. You are awesome for getting these habits down as early as high school!
If you like the thick lead of a wood case pencil but don't like how they get shorter as you use them up, you might consider getting a clutch pencil aka lead holder. It's basically a mechanical pencil with "full size" leads. You also need the matching sharpener ("lead pointer").
1. Gather your supplies (pencils, pens, sheets, sharpener, timer, etc).
2. Pick a quiet location.
3. Pick a book (study some interesting topic or something that pushes your actual limits)
4. Set the time of your session(s).
5. Try to learn some definitions without re reading them.
6. Work with examples.
7. Reflect about what you studied.
Try to bring things to your head you couldn't understand or those where you got stuck with at the day lapse.
I agree, paper without lines are better. I often struggled when I did math which had a lot of fractions eg. quotient rule, then I would get lost on the fractions. I bought myself a white board and it made it so much easier. When I wrote my online invigilated exam, I wrote my answers on lineless paper.
“until you know the definitions cold…”- currently in a Real Analysis course and my professor harps on making sure you actually KNOW the definition of something before moving on. I guess these definitions are just that important as a mathematician.
A technique that works for me is that when I self-study math by watching videos, then I will turn on the closed caption and write down what the professor is actually saying. I obviously have to stop and replay the video a lot, and watching a single video may take a few days. But it works for me. I've been doing this with Dr. Gilbert Strang's MIT Linear Algebra videos, and have been learning more on my own than when I actually took the class at my university for credit. Now I feel like that all I did was throw away money when I took linear algebra at my university.
I didn't go to college but studied computer science on my own and nowadays work as a programmer, but I've discovered that maths is actually something that I really like at the same level as programming, so I'm trying to learn maths on my own like a noobie now and it's probably one of the best experiences that I've ever had when learning something, specially because a lot of the math stuff that I learn I can also code it to create visualizations. Feels like I've discovered a whole new world
Stewart’s Calculus is a legend! What a time I had. Still pick it up every now and again.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am a Brazilian high school student who faces many structural difficulties in public education. I believe that actions like yours change lives completely.
Long live knowledge sharing, Aaron Swartz would be proud...
Somos dois, colega, mas as dificuldades irão nos tornar ainda mais fortes... pelo menos é o que espero.
As a self learner this video has been one of the most useful. I would point out I also keep a compass, ruler, and protractor on my desk as I have a fetish for very neat graphs. 🙂
Thanks for your video. I'm trying to learn linear algebra. I thought I was doing fine until I tried answering the questions. Now I know to dive in deeper.
I found out I'm ADD at age 49! That answered a lot of questions, especially why I have so much trouble staying focused when trying to learn even a subject I enjoy! I've tried and tried to teach myself but feel completely lost, almost immediately, because there is no one to ask questions.
Never too late
this channel has helped me so much, i was rejected by my school and they didnt gave me maths but instead a boring subject. With your help im studying math by myself to prove em wrong. THANK YOU
💪💪💪💪💪💪😎
A timer is really important! I did badly on my first two Precalculus exams (I got a C+ and a B) mainly because I had run out of time on both of them.
So important video. Math is so important but so often to badly teached or its due to time pressure, to hard to learn certain math problems. So great thank you for you insight !
Thank you for making this video, i love your account! I will definitely apply this method of learning math.😊
Thank you for such a quick explanation step by step... the worst part of being self concious of my skills in math is being so nervous i can't even think what to do in the first place. Thanks a lot
You are welcome!
It can not be overstated how important it is to practice solving different kinds of problems as much as you possibly can. I had a martial arts instructor who told me all the masters became masters by doing what most people would call "the boring stuff". Interestingly enough, I think the more passionate you are about a subject, the stuff that most find "boring" becomes the subject matter that you might gravitate towards the most.
For me, when I'm ready to study math it helps to think that, maybe I'm not just studying numbers and computations, but perhaps math is subject much larger and grander in scale. Like a universal language of the cosmos. A language that deserves my upmost respect, discipline, and focus. Like if I were about to walk into a sacred Jedi temple, I would find ancient texts of Maths that we may have never seen before :)
Back in my A-Levels (sorta SAT equiv. for US students), I had a medium sized whiteboard I hung right next to my study spot. Any question that needed more than 1 minute to work through on paper, Id just write on the whiteboard standing. it felt great because theres no strain to the neck, and theres no other 'distractions' like other papers, other notes in previous pages etc on my whiteboard. just the question. It really helped me focus on question solving in particular.
At university, I didn't have the privilege of buying a new whiteboard for this tactic, but I had lots of spare paper. Sometimes when reading and understanding proofs, I wanted to write down the methodologies and figure out myself how they went from A to B and B to C etc. SO i used these blank papers before writing the proper proof or method in my notes.
If nothing else, both methods gave me the courage to fail whenever I mess up. since both blank papers and whiteboards are easily cleanable. whereas if you mess up writing in your notes, I found it quite demotivating when it ruins the rest of your notes.
that calc textbook was awesome i used it for my calc classes and it laid a really good foundation for my math degree :)
I highly recommend using a tablet to write on. For me it really changed the game. So much easier for graphing by hand, easy to write on, black paper with white pen so that i dont hurt my eyes sitting up late at night. And the storage of notes becomes so much easier. No more big binders of loose paper that you are never going to look at anyway, but if you're stuck and want to refresh your memories on how you solved a problem you can easily go back and look. And you just feel cool writing on a tablet. It's also nice that i can just turn in my papers as PDFs for assignments at uni right from the tablet without having to scan anything.
I used to learn and study math this way about 20 or 25 years ago.
What I think should be added nowadays is a smartphone with a large screen or a phablet containing ebooks, a scientific calculator, and some useful math programs.
What would be also useful for advanced or graduate studies in math and physics is a computer or laptop with a good computer algebra system, like Mathematica, Maple or Maxima.
With the internet there are also online tools, software, programs, and resources.
Thank you for creating such a wonderful video. Young folks are lucky these days that they can turn to UA-cam to find great math tutors. There is no excuse to not excel. I'm now in my 50s but my love of math is alive and well. I kept all my college math books so that I can do precisely this when I retire. Again, thank you for helping us all excercise the most import organ in our bodies!
This is awesome man. I study in a pretty similar fashion, the only difference is that I take my notes and do all my work in spiral notebooks! I have loads of cheap spiral notebooks that are filled page-to-page with notes and practice. My wife says it’s the workings of a madman
To be honest, this video is helpful not just for math, but self-studying any rigorous subject
Great video! I really wish I had a bare, stripped down room like that. It seems perfect for concentrating and going into your own zone :) Plain paper huh? I haven't though about it, but it does makes sense instead of "boxing" yourself in with lined paper. This was really inspiring :)
Yes the plane paper is awesome !!
Thanks for this! I'm in my first year of being homeschooled, and math has always scared me, but you don't really make it seem that scary and I guess that's some motivation, to see how it can be so fun for some poeple. I did like math some time ago, but being judged and forced to move on fast before I understood everything ruined it for me. Hope I can get back to understanding math enough to pass my matura exam well
Thank you so much for this! Now i can help my self and enjoy learning and solving math without struggling, thanks to you! Keep up the good work and more power to your channel! 🎉
This piece of advice is unbelievably useful for me, thanks a lot for making this video. People have considered me a gifted kid, because i could pass all the tests without really studying for them, and now when i got to the applied maths faculty of one of the best universities of my country, i can not really understand stuff as easy as i could in school. I hope i can get better at this some day :)
Same here!
Something to use as a straight edge is useful once in a while.
I like using a white rectangular eraser instead of the pink ones on a pencil.
I have a preference for the black Ticonderoga pencils.
I use blank paper too. You could also get scrap paper at the recycling area where people printed on only one side.
If you have a really long problem, or if you have an impulse to do some math, you can find paper towel rolls in bathrooms that can dispense really long sheets to work on. Also, you can roll it up and put it in your pocket to take home. It is better to use pen when doing math on the paper towels, but pencil still works.
When learning new definitions, function, ideas, or weird problems. Just throw some numbers in there to see how it works first instead of dealing with big abstractions. Use zeroes and ones. Also, use some big numbers. Work it at both extremes. Draw pictures as well.
Holy Moly/Cow. I've scrolled down this far and you seem to be the only one who realises that the video is tongue-in-cheek!
Your energy reinvigorates my mathematical obsession from high school. I am aiming for a career in data science right now, but the college degrees I'm looking at right now just don't have enough math for Data Science. So, I'm gonna have to spoil myself and teach myself calculus 1,2, &3, high level statistics, linear algebra, and maybe some other stuff too. Thankyou for sharing your sorcery!
I love maths and this channel sounds dope! :) .. now to share this video with my co-workers :)))
Just in time for a new semester. Thank you Math Sorcerer. 😇
You're very welcome!
Great advice! This might sound a bit weird to some, but I actually love self studying different math topics but at the same time hate carrying around heavy textbooks. So what I do is find a PDF version of the textbook online, and print the chapter I want to study( usually in order), bind it together with glue, add cover, and that's what I use till I finish every exercise. Then I progress to the next chapter book. It's easier to carry in my bag too!
Hardcore! That sounds so fun:)
@@TheMathSorcerer thanks! That's what I did for the Book of Proof by Richard Hammack that you recommended. There are just so many cool topics so I did a small chapter books for each chapter. Right now on Cardinality. Planning on doing the same thing for Calculus by Martin Spivak.
@@martinhawrylkiewicz2025 Thankfully there are also loose leaf versions of textbooks, too. (At least sometimes.)
@@surrealistidealist sometimes when I can't find a PDF format textbook online, I will bring a physical textbook to work, scan the chapter, print it and make a little book to study. Love doing this since it helps me focus on just one chapter at a time without any distractions. I also go to Barnes and Noble after work to study in the coffee shop.
Just damn 😂😂😂
Thank you very much! Really good advices❤️
Thank u so much!
The video was informative and inspirational for a new Maths amateur
I'm a medical student and I miss studying mathematics and I remember how much I enjoyed it. So during summer vacation I'm gonna practice more on the books you suggested thanks❤
I nothing to say, you are a genius jajajaja, but why study ingenering???? 😊
I'm trying really hard to get into math because I aspire to be an environmental engineer. I'm in my mid-twenties going back to college. You give off high-school teacher vibes. It's nostalgic and soothing. 😂
You are my HERO! Thank you for this advice!
I just ordered a bunch of your books recommendations and plan to get started on self studying + whilst in school
I'm a psychologyst. I'm 37yo. I want to make a habit to study coding and math everyday, at my own pace and learn how to think abstractly. I'll start following your videos
The most relieving thought comes when you have studied maths for an hour and understood everything.
Thank You so much for the tips and tricks. Well I'm in class 8. So should I follow this only or any other?!
Thank you so much! The way you present the learning process is really comforting and motivating.
I have been doing engineering calculation, I once tried using clear paper 2yrs ago and have been hooked since
After studying Algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics., proceed to number theory, vector calculus and abstract algebra. Lambda calculus can be used in computer programming.., matlab.., binary it's awesome! Mathematics is the language of everything! 🎧🎶🤩
1. Select carefully your books in progressive difficulty. Select books that are fully explicit when you face the subject for the first time.
2. Always find the solution manual of the book you are using. It saves time and speeds up your maturity if it is USED CORRECTLY.
3. Do NOT cheat the steps. Write them all down. Math is carpentry. Good carpentry shows all the steps in detail when IS NEEDED.
4. See solved problems from other mathematicians, see their reasonings and their strategies of these solved problems.
5. Pencil, eraser, paper and all other aids are FUNDAMENTAL. Mathematics is about THINKING.
6. When a hard problem is solved, describe in words the strategy used. Verbalizing the strategy IS an essential skill.
7. Learn the difference between EXCERCISES and PROBLEMS. Problem solving techniques IS a science.
8. Mathematics requires DAILY practice, consistence, dedication, focus, concentration and willingness accepting the challenge.
9. Learning the proper way of writing mathematics takes time. Concise, precise, exact, brief and clear are the foundation of good writing.
10. Mathematics is about the PROOF. Learning how to proof is the main theme of math. Writing a great proof requires lots of cleaning and experience. Straight forward proofs with all the details are the best ones.
11. Always illustrate what is going on with a diagram, a drawing and written text. Combinations of all of them is the best.
12. Skill takes time but never forget that mathematics has a high and exquisite aesthetics and beauty, the beauty of order and clarity.
thanks sir
Would someone please explain to me the difference between the book choices made in this video and Sorcerer's video on "One Math book for every Math subject"? Which study approach should I take, the other videos, starting from intermediate algebra to advanced or do I follow from this videos study approach that teaches picking up a random book and just following along with the examples until I understand the concepts?
The reflection part is what I haven't thought about. I'll include it in my next study section.
nice presentation...I like the idea of acquiring different or even several books of the same course - for simply getting a different viewpoint on the same topic. Of course it was years ago for me, but when I studied Calculus & eventually ODE's....I got together w/ other students with the aid of a large whiteboard - that ongoing engagement helped all of us understand the material to a much greater degree ~
I’ve decided to pursue a graduate degree in Data Science. I come from a liberal arts background and will need a bunch of math courses to qualify for most data science programs. You’ve certainly been an inspiration to me! Thank you!
Can I ask what made you choose Data Science? I'm sure you've looked at quite a few concepts like lists, trees and graphs. If not, np, just that the next question won't be relevant in your case. What was your gut feeling when you looked at lists, trees and graphs? Also, do you know programming in any language? Thank you.
Wish I had a room like this. Small, cozy, quiet...sounds perfect for studying (or anything that requires focus), assuming there isn't a bed there, as it'd be perfect for sleeping instead😂
love this, similar on how i study. I try a lot of examples to learn where i didn't understand and proceed to learn it. This is so helpful thanks!
you are welcome:)
I gotta say, I enjoy the crisp image of well penned mathematics. My pencil marks tend to get smudgy, so any good gel pen that isnt runny is my favorite.