- #1
pjmarshall
- 10
- 2
(before reading this, I'm currently enrolled in engineering, not math, which I switched from, so i don't deal with advanced proofs and such):
Okay, so for my lower division math courses (using elementary textbooks such as stewart or lay), my method of studying was:
-Read the book
-Do all the problems
-Read over every type of problem and try to understand and memorize their steps
-Look through a notebook and strain mind trying to drill steps (and method) into head
This worked for some time, but as of now there are obviously too many types of problems to apply various methods to, and I HATE this method of studying, though it worked quite well for my grades. Now, I know for math, I heard that a lot of it comes from having a good 'toolbox' to work from, and it seems the only way I came obtain such a toolbox is by drilling these damn methods into my skull. But it really takes the a lot of the fun out of mathematics... I'd rather just recognize basic steps of a problem and solve it. However, the thing is, after looking through the steps to a solution, I'm sometimes distraught when I see that I didn't even know that the trick used to solve it was 'legal' or possible! Obviously, somehow it's implied, but I can't see how someone can, after reading over the basics, come to such a conclusion. A lot of times, due to constrained class time, I just skip over the way these methods are obtained and simply apply them (though they're almost never used on tests, since the bulk of the tests just test the basics, not the hard problems).
I know that a lot of it is because I don't have the intuition that some have, but I want to know how someone, after knowing only basic concepts, is able to imply these things. I realized that I'm not amazing at math, but I still like designing/performing experiments, and I still like math in general. I want to try to get above Bs in my upper division courses, but it seems like I'm stuck in that range.
So is it feasible to go over EVERY SINGLE problem, because I have to be able to do all of them or else that means I don't understand the underlying concept? I don't think my brain can handle memorizing every single concept and trick and problem in my textbooks. My method of study has failed me now, and i want to know a better way to work with applied math.
Okay, so for my lower division math courses (using elementary textbooks such as stewart or lay), my method of studying was:
-Read the book
-Do all the problems
-Read over every type of problem and try to understand and memorize their steps
-Look through a notebook and strain mind trying to drill steps (and method) into head
This worked for some time, but as of now there are obviously too many types of problems to apply various methods to, and I HATE this method of studying, though it worked quite well for my grades. Now, I know for math, I heard that a lot of it comes from having a good 'toolbox' to work from, and it seems the only way I came obtain such a toolbox is by drilling these damn methods into my skull. But it really takes the a lot of the fun out of mathematics... I'd rather just recognize basic steps of a problem and solve it. However, the thing is, after looking through the steps to a solution, I'm sometimes distraught when I see that I didn't even know that the trick used to solve it was 'legal' or possible! Obviously, somehow it's implied, but I can't see how someone can, after reading over the basics, come to such a conclusion. A lot of times, due to constrained class time, I just skip over the way these methods are obtained and simply apply them (though they're almost never used on tests, since the bulk of the tests just test the basics, not the hard problems).
I know that a lot of it is because I don't have the intuition that some have, but I want to know how someone, after knowing only basic concepts, is able to imply these things. I realized that I'm not amazing at math, but I still like designing/performing experiments, and I still like math in general. I want to try to get above Bs in my upper division courses, but it seems like I'm stuck in that range.
So is it feasible to go over EVERY SINGLE problem, because I have to be able to do all of them or else that means I don't understand the underlying concept? I don't think my brain can handle memorizing every single concept and trick and problem in my textbooks. My method of study has failed me now, and i want to know a better way to work with applied math.