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I am a high school junior taking calculus AB. What should I do to become the best I can at math? Can you suggest any books I should read, a list of problems I can do, etc.? Thanks

Ovi
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  • While I applaud the sentiment and sympathize with the asker, to my mind this is the archetypical "too localized" question. The OP wants to know how s/he can get better at math. This answer depends critically on who s/he is: no one who has taught math (or had substantial human interactions) will think there is an answer about how to learn or improve at something which is the same for everyone (or even for all high school juniors taking AP calculus). So: to get a meaningful answer, the OP needs to ask someone who actually knows her/him, not post anonymously on an internet forum! – Pete L. Clark May 05 '13 at 17:05
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    @Ovi If you want a book that will be helpful to ALL math courses you'll be taking in the future, I recommend How to Prove It: A Structured Approach by Daniel J.Velleman. – Git Gud May 05 '13 at 17:05
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    @PeteL.Clark: If this was too localized, the post wouldn't get $7$ upvotes versus $1$ down vote. Its appealing towards large audience. Others who possibly cross over this question have something to take from here. – Inceptio May 05 '13 at 17:15
  • @Inceptio: Your first assertion does not follow: many questions which are off-topic for the site attract upvotes. Also, not knowing anything much about the OP, I think many people are reading the question as "What advice can you give anyone to get better at math?" And of course this questions is too broad and subjective for a focused site like this one. Which is not to say that it's a bad question: it's a great question. But Math.se is not a site for any good question having something to do with mathematics. – Pete L. Clark May 05 '13 at 17:33
  • @PeteL.Clark: Where does this question belong? Direct him there.:) – Inceptio May 05 '13 at 17:42
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    I would say that this question should remain closed as a mixture of not constructive and not a real question. Certainly it is too broad for a good answer, since answers could just as well focus on a choice of courses for the OP to take to obtain a better understanding of maths, recommendations of how to broaden and deeper their current learning experience, advice on $\textit{how}$ to study maths better, resources to better explain the material that they are currently covering, $\dots$. If it were to become much more specific, I would perhaps vote to re-open. – Tom Oldfield May 05 '13 at 18:23
  • @Tom: I agree. It seems paradoxical, but I think the question is both too localized and too broad, and (continuing the paradox) if the OP could enunciate much more specific goals, we could get a question which would be useful for a broader audience and more appropriate for this site. – Pete L. Clark May 05 '13 at 18:32
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    OP: sucks that this question had to be closed, but let me second GitGud's recommendation. How To Prove It will rock your world. – Alexander Gruber May 06 '13 at 15:41
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    By the way come by the chat sometime and ask about this, we'd be glad to help you there. – Alexander Gruber May 06 '13 at 15:43
  • Thanks a lot, I'll see if I can get that book and I'll join the chat sometime – Ovi May 06 '13 at 18:51

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I suggest "What is Mathematics?" book by Richard Courant and Herbert Robbins. A great book. Provides insight about every level of math.

Inceptio
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Don't just stick to the curriculum. Read the books published by the Mathematical Association of America for young people who want to find out what mathematics is. Also, one of my favorites: C. Stanley Ogilvy's Excursions in Geometry.

Michael Hardy
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