- #1
Druegan
- 2
- 0
Salutations Physics Forums dwellers,
I'm new to these domains, and I think before I make too much of an idiot of myself posting questions, I thought I'd ask one that would maybe allow me to minimize some of that.
I need to learn mathematics. At this point, pretty much everything from algebra on up, as I've forgotten most of it. I am a severely non-math person, and I could really use some guidance here. Highschool mathematics classes simply did not function for me. I'm certain it was the teaching methods imployed, but the whole process of trying to get there burned me out to such an extent that I majored in Religion in college just so I didn't have to take math classes.
This perhaps gives you an idea of what you'd be working with here.
So the question, ultimately, is: "Does anyone know of some alternative types of mathematics instruction for dummies? or the equivalent?"
I'm a tinkerer.. I build things, and I'm interested in rather a lot of things I can't post about on these forums, but mainly I'm interested in being able to understand the mathematics behind things like Maxwell's equations, being able to calculate force requirements and gear sizes for getting the right rpms out of a drive shaft, how one can calculate mathematically the relationships between the output voltage/amperage of a coil depending on it's windings, wire diameter, and the gauss strength of a magnet being pushed through it... stuff like that.
Which I understand involves a pretty wide amount of mathematics... and so I best get to work learning it. I just need to find a way to teach myself how it all works, and I didn't see a "math links for idiots" thread in the teaching materials section.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Druegan
I'm new to these domains, and I think before I make too much of an idiot of myself posting questions, I thought I'd ask one that would maybe allow me to minimize some of that.
I need to learn mathematics. At this point, pretty much everything from algebra on up, as I've forgotten most of it. I am a severely non-math person, and I could really use some guidance here. Highschool mathematics classes simply did not function for me. I'm certain it was the teaching methods imployed, but the whole process of trying to get there burned me out to such an extent that I majored in Religion in college just so I didn't have to take math classes.
This perhaps gives you an idea of what you'd be working with here.
So the question, ultimately, is: "Does anyone know of some alternative types of mathematics instruction for dummies? or the equivalent?"
I'm a tinkerer.. I build things, and I'm interested in rather a lot of things I can't post about on these forums, but mainly I'm interested in being able to understand the mathematics behind things like Maxwell's equations, being able to calculate force requirements and gear sizes for getting the right rpms out of a drive shaft, how one can calculate mathematically the relationships between the output voltage/amperage of a coil depending on it's windings, wire diameter, and the gauss strength of a magnet being pushed through it... stuff like that.
Which I understand involves a pretty wide amount of mathematics... and so I best get to work learning it. I just need to find a way to teach myself how it all works, and I didn't see a "math links for idiots" thread in the teaching materials section.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Druegan