- #1
Sduibek
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Math/CS majors and grads: Which math books do you recommend for theory and concepts?
I am retaking college pre-calc Trig and still struggling (C on the first exam). I have yet to ever receive from an instructor or assigned book the following:
1. Why I should care about math / how not to hate it
2. What math actually is (in other words what is the purpose and essence of the language of mathematics)
3. High-level concepts and theory (versus a barrage of exercises and proofs)
4. Words instead of just numbers and diagrams
5. How to make it not dry and boring and really hard
6. How to approach a problem that is baffling you and feels to be above your skills / knowledge.
I realize many of the above are similar but I separated them to (hopefully) make replies easier.
I love programming, and I like understanding how things work, creative design [I draw, make music, write comics and make video game mods], and learning, but nothing has ever motivated me to not think of math as a horrible black hole that sucks away my emotional and mental well-being while flipping me off.
Thank you very much in advance.
EDIT: For the record I'm asking my instructors directly if they have ideas for such books, just in case you think this post is 100% inaction whining :P
I am retaking college pre-calc Trig and still struggling (C on the first exam). I have yet to ever receive from an instructor or assigned book the following:
1. Why I should care about math / how not to hate it
2. What math actually is (in other words what is the purpose and essence of the language of mathematics)
3. High-level concepts and theory (versus a barrage of exercises and proofs)
4. Words instead of just numbers and diagrams
5. How to make it not dry and boring and really hard
6. How to approach a problem that is baffling you and feels to be above your skills / knowledge.
I realize many of the above are similar but I separated them to (hopefully) make replies easier.
I love programming, and I like understanding how things work, creative design [I draw, make music, write comics and make video game mods], and learning, but nothing has ever motivated me to not think of math as a horrible black hole that sucks away my emotional and mental well-being while flipping me off.
Thank you very much in advance.
EDIT: For the record I'm asking my instructors directly if they have ideas for such books, just in case you think this post is 100% inaction whining :P
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