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March 29, 2024, 11:35:19 pm

Author Topic: Any books to get motivated about learning maths?  (Read 1654 times)  Share 

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Erstwhile

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Any books to get motivated about learning maths?
« on: October 06, 2017, 02:53:05 pm »
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Im trying to find a way to get more motivated about maths so that I won't fall asleep or lose focus during classes. Does anyone know any inspirational or motivating stories of mathematicians? If you know any please post their names down below as I would like to do some light reading. Thanks  ;)
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geminii

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Re: Any books to get motivated about learning maths?
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2017, 04:01:41 pm »
+1
Im trying to find a way to get more motivated about maths so that I won't fall asleep or lose focus during classes. Does anyone know any inspirational or motivating stories of mathematicians? If you know any please post their names down below as I would like to do some light reading. Thanks  ;)

This video of 13 year old Jake Barnett (who was in college at 13) inspired me to memorise pi ;D Now I can recite 85 digits, nowhere near as much as this kid though!

I don't know any books, but watching TV series like Criminal Minds (where Dr. Spencer Reid is a genius) and Sherlock Holmes inspired me to work harder. Same with Jake Barnett (in the video above).
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zofromuxo

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Re: Any books to get motivated about learning maths?
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2017, 04:51:34 pm »
+1
A Mind For Numbers
How to Excel at Math and Science by Barbara Oakley. One of the greatest book on maths, there is an extract on her website if you want to see if it is worth it. But I always feel motivated by reading the notes I made when I read this book.
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Bri MT

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Re: Any books to get motivated about learning maths?
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2017, 05:43:23 pm »
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I don't know of any books for you, but I think maths is something like this:
The conversion of situations into a numerical form is that logic may be more easily applied to discover truths and probabilities from it.
(Disclaimer: I just came up with that definition; it has no credibility)

Algebra is amazing,  it allows us to create formulas, or instruction manuals, which can then be applied to any problem matching the conditions. Don't know how to calculate the volume of a sphere? v=(4/3)*pi*r^2    And as long the condition of v being the volume of a sphere and r being the radius of that sphere are met, this is a universal truth. How many subjects can offer that?
Math gives us this language that allows us to put problems in a different form, and then rearrange the problem until we find the solution. Imagine trying to run a society where there were no numbers, and no maths.
It is vital to our society.

Not only this, but developing mathematical skills develops our ability to use logic and analyse in other contexts as well.
The problems given in school can be mundane and boring, but they are trying to set the foundation and develop the skills so that if you so wish, you do incredible things.
Make incredible structures, learn about other universes, understand our own bodies, understand any governance system .... Maths is needed.
The more you build your mathematical skills, the stronger you make your foundation, the more opportunities open up to you. 
The opportunities are more obvious now than ever in our tech driven world, but maths has held that place long before the first computer



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Re: Any books to get motivated about learning maths?
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2017, 10:53:37 pm »
+1
Maths models our world. Without Maths, there will be nothing.

That is all.
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