6

My name is Sonny and I am a mental health support worker. I am interested in learning math but having no background in it, I don't know where to start.

i took math in grade 12 in Australia. so i know little bit of integral and differential calculus and high school geometry. i got interested in math due to fantastic results demonstrated in you tube videos about number theory. It really amazed me to know that numbers have properties independent of their own. hence the interest in math. Can any one please suggest me a book for a beginner like me?

Thanks

sonny.dee
  • 71
  • 1
    Go to amazon or ebay and search for a Pre-algebra book to prep yourself (self study). That is where you should start. Don't know where you live, but in the USA, ultimately taking such a course at a community college would be a good start. – imranfat Oct 28 '16 at 01:24
  • 4
    I think more details will help you get a useful answer. What math classes have you taken - for example, are you comfortable with pre-algebra? More importantly, what made you interested in math? There are lots of really interesting math topics accessible to a beginner, and lots of good books on them, but there's a truly gargantuan variety. – Noah Schweber Oct 28 '16 at 01:25
  • 2
    You heed to tell us a little bit more about yourself. What was the last math you had in school? When was that? Did you like it? Have you tried some books or internet sites? If so, what did you like, or not? – Ethan Bolker Oct 28 '16 at 01:25
  • 6
    And there is NO reason to close this question! – imranfat Oct 28 '16 at 01:26
  • i took math in grade 12 in Australia. so i know little bit of integral and differential calculus and high school geometry. i got interested in math due to fantastic results demonstrated in you tube videos about number theory. It really amazed me to know that numbers have properties independent of their own. hence the interest in math. – sonny.dee Oct 28 '16 at 01:31
  • Well, if you still remember some integral and differential calculus, then you know much more about math than a lot of other people. But the thing is, how much do you remember? So maybe a pre algebra book is too low, a standard algebra book is better to see where you stand. Don't know much about the Australian higher Ed. system, but I would suppose that they also have a system where non-traditional students can pick up an academic career again? And such an institution can also assess where you really stand as far as math is concerned. – imranfat Oct 28 '16 at 01:33
  • Consider number theory: http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1879021/self-study-text-for-elementary-number-theory/1879055#1879055 – Ethan Bolker Oct 28 '16 at 01:36
  • 1
    @sonny.dee You should edit your question to include the information you provided in your comment. Then you can delete the comment. – Ethan Bolker Oct 28 '16 at 01:37
  • Talibans and robots attack again to close every question that seems ambiguous. It seems like people must serve to this website and not the opposite xD – Masacroso Oct 28 '16 at 01:38
  • buy Polya's book – Anonymous Oct 28 '16 at 01:46
  • I think working through the Khan academy knowledge map is not a bad place up start. – littleO Oct 28 '16 at 02:16

1 Answers1

3

The best way to learn math is to sit with good math books and do almost all of the problems in them. Get recommendations for your level, and when the mood moves you spend a few free hours with the book. I will recommend one book that may be at the right level for you from the comments. The book is Calculus by Michael Spivak, and I recommend finding a much cheaper copy than in the link. Theoretically it requires no prior knowledge, and despite the name this is not the calculus you learn in high school, it is a gateway to advanced mathematics.

Matt Samuel
  • 58,164