- #1
vikingofsixth
- 3
- 0
The short summary is that my high school foundations of math were absolutely terrible as I was instructed from the youngest age that mathematics was entirely about computation and that being talented in math meant being able to handle lots of number grinding in your head without a calculator. I am a very visual and mechanical person so I failed terribly at this and was quickly ruled out of higher mathematics before I even entered college.
Now I am very close to finishing a degree with philosophy and language and the greatest regret I have is my knowledge of mathematics. Very early in my college career after taking propositional logic and first order logic I realized how much I loved playing with these formal languages. An enjoyment that seems much more pure than constructing anything with a natural language. Not to long ago I was speaking to someone about my math history and he laughed replying 'math is not about computation'.
Every time I walk into a classroom and see a chalkboard covered from side to side with some sort of problem from the higher level math classes I realize they are not dealing with numbers but with ideas. And I am damned upset that I do not know how to use their language!
I have a lot of free time this fall and want to rebuild my math foundation from the ground up. I am certain I have a good deal of the logical and language background to help me along the way but I am not sure how to start. Having never stepped foot in a Calculus class I need to revisit everything from trig to algebra! Does anyone have any advice or should I just let this peaked interest go because it is too late?
Now I am very close to finishing a degree with philosophy and language and the greatest regret I have is my knowledge of mathematics. Very early in my college career after taking propositional logic and first order logic I realized how much I loved playing with these formal languages. An enjoyment that seems much more pure than constructing anything with a natural language. Not to long ago I was speaking to someone about my math history and he laughed replying 'math is not about computation'.
Every time I walk into a classroom and see a chalkboard covered from side to side with some sort of problem from the higher level math classes I realize they are not dealing with numbers but with ideas. And I am damned upset that I do not know how to use their language!
I have a lot of free time this fall and want to rebuild my math foundation from the ground up. I am certain I have a good deal of the logical and language background to help me along the way but I am not sure how to start. Having never stepped foot in a Calculus class I need to revisit everything from trig to algebra! Does anyone have any advice or should I just let this peaked interest go because it is too late?