- #1
Newtons Apple
- 57
- 1
Hey everyone. I've been facing a problem in my math studies that I can no longer ignore. I'm in college, and I'm taking a college level Algebra class, with the looming Precalc next semester. My problem with math is this... I don't know why we're doing problems. More specifically, I don't know why we follow certain steps. In English, I can reason why and "hear" what makes a proper sentence. The syntax of English and writing comes more naturally to me. With math, and equations, and numbers, the 'why' seems lost. All the tutorials, I've seen will berate you with how to solve equations... Thats just fine, but I want to look at a problem, and be able to logically know what to do.
For example, a problem like
-8x > 10 +3x
I know that I'm supposed to subtract 3x from both sides. But why? No one has ever explained why we do things like this. All my professors just say "Because that's the way its done" but I know, that mathematics has a purpose, but I'd like a reason for it, I think if I can start thinking of problems and equations logically, I can understand and solve them easier... Does anyone know of any books, or websites, or online tutorials, that provides explanations, and reasoning behind Mathematics? Answering Why we follow steps to solving equations, not just How?
For example, a problem like
-8x > 10 +3x
I know that I'm supposed to subtract 3x from both sides. But why? No one has ever explained why we do things like this. All my professors just say "Because that's the way its done" but I know, that mathematics has a purpose, but I'd like a reason for it, I think if I can start thinking of problems and equations logically, I can understand and solve them easier... Does anyone know of any books, or websites, or online tutorials, that provides explanations, and reasoning behind Mathematics? Answering Why we follow steps to solving equations, not just How?