Mr Whippy
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 10:01 AM |
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Best way to learn maths
I’m sure many of you are in the same boat. When I was at school maths really could have not been taught any worse, just awful teachers (I had the
mentally unstable sadistic SS type), taught so boringly (apart from the yelling and duster/book throwing), seemingly utterly pointless and without any
underling meaning to it all. What the hell is this sh%t all about!?! Just shoot me please…
It was only much later when I got interested in astronomy and reading books on physics (quantum physics being a fav) that I then realised what all
that math crap they were trying to force down my throat at school actually did and by that time it was way too late.
I now watch university lectures on YouTube all the time (I’m actually listening to one at work right now on my headphones) and so regret I never got
the foundation to follow these when they start talking about calculus etc although the maths for quantum physics can go way beyond that for sure but
it would be so nice to even see a bit of this missing picture. In a way I feel I have been cheated by some total gits from seeing something really
beautiful.
So has anyone tried various methods of learning maths they could recommend, taking into account I work full time and have 2 young kids to deal with
too! I’m also one of those people who if I can't see the purpose of something I’m not interested and hence don’t learn it. For example I'm
hugely into planes and hence wanted a plane licence to fly them so was interested in that and so got the best grades ever in my whole life! Like 97%
in aviation law, I’m not one to learn parrot fashion just cos someone shouted at me to do so or whacked me on the head with a hard wooden duster cos
their wife hates them.
I did a lot better in physics at school as we got a great teacher for that and were doing things like nuclear reactors and half-life’s etc and even
went to Dounreay getting to stand on top of the working reactor and in the reprocessing centre (scary hot place), that was awesome. Getting a good
teacher or lecturer is everything.
Any ideas let me know, cheers in advance 
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nick205
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 10:27 AM |
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Interesting!
Similar to you I didn't really "get" maths at school and had teachers teaching for an exam pass not for learing.
I now have a 10 year old son and boy/girl twins of 8. Working with them on their maths homework (online) can be tedious, but at the same time quite
infectious. They seem to be taught differently to the way I was and I find it interesting to learn with them.
They use https://www.mymaths.co.uk/ with logins given by their school. Not sure if it's to the level
you're after (or if you can login without being at school), but it may be a start point for you.
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Slimy38
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 10:40 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
I now have a 10 year old son and boy/girl twins of 8. Working with them on their maths homework (online) can be tedious, but at the same time quite
infectious. They seem to be taught differently to the way I was and I find it interesting to learn with them.
I was going to say the same thing. If you have kids, use them! I did very well in maths (right up to HND level), but even now I learn stuff from my
daughters secondary school homework.
The best maths I did was applied maths, and it's exactly as it says. The pure maths A level was a major ballache, even a brilliant teacher
couldn't save that one. But applied maths was so much more technical, but at the same time so much easier because you could relate it to
something. I even remember a piece of homework talking about how to plot the movement of a car wheel on a graph. I did fail that one, but getting into
springs, friction, rotational forces, etc really brought maths to life.
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nick205
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 10:44 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
I now have a 10 year old son and boy/girl twins of 8. Working with them on their maths homework (online) can be tedious, but at the same time quite
infectious. They seem to be taught differently to the way I was and I find it interesting to learn with them.
I was going to say the same thing. If you have kids, use them! I did very well in maths (right up to HND level), but even now I learn stuff from my
daughters secondary school homework.
The best maths I did was applied maths, and it's exactly as it says. The pure maths A level was a major ballache, even a brilliant teacher
couldn't save that one. But applied maths was so much more technical, but at the same time so much easier because you could relate it to
something. I even remember a piece of homework talking about how to plot the movement of a car wheel on a graph. I did fail that one, but getting into
springs, friction, rotational forces, etc really brought maths to life.
Agreed...kids learning is a great way IMHO to revisit subjects. My twins recently studied WW2 and when I commented that both my grannies (who died
before they were born) were in WW2 and could have shared real stories with them they were astounded that I had grannies - it took some explaining that
my grannies were their grandparents parents 
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 11:32 AM |
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The Open University do maths catch-up courses for people about to start degree courses, but who haven't got the required maths skills (or have
forgotten it all). They don't teach the deep and mysterious maths - the courses themselves do that - but they do establish a foundation so that
students can cope when their courses start. You can do the work when it best suits you, with the understanding that you have to do a minimum number
of hours a week to keep up. The disadvantage is that you have to pay for the course.
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nick205
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 11:45 AM |
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True and from experience the OU is a good way to study (or was for me) as well. I was lucky that my employer agreed to fund my courses, but the
outlay would have been worth it in any case.
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Smoking Frog
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 02:08 PM |
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I just use the internet and learn from examples. I enjoy programming and when there's a formula or algorithm not known to me I just look it up
and develop it for my needs. Unless I have a need I don't study it. Could you not do the same for your subject(s).
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coozer
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 02:18 PM |
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Well, I really enjoyed maths and physics at school... Smashed my right arm to bits on the last day of the summer holidays before starting the 4th
year. Because of that I got out of PE (which I hated) and the snide PE teacher (Mr. Penick) asked me if Id like to do an extra maths lesson
instead... Wiped the smile clean of his face when I grinned and went YES!!
Left school with top marks in maths and physics... Now 36 years on I cant remember any of it!
My brother was a bit of a maths genius as well and he didnt leave the education system till he was 33! Lazy git! Although he is a Dr. now and Im just
a truck driver.. He works part time in a school lab and has never earned as much as me!!
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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Dick Axtell
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 04:32 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
The best maths I did was applied maths, and it's exactly as it says. The pure maths A level was a major ballache, even a brilliant teacher
couldn't save that one. But applied maths was so much more technical, but at the same time so much easier because you could relate it to
something.
Agreed. A level pure maths - "Imagine a limitless billiard table, and your are using perfectly elastic balls......"
Cannot relate to that stuff. Applied maths every time, because there is a problem, and maybe a solution - if you can work it out!
Work-in-Progress: Changed to Zetec + T9. Still trying!!
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bi22le
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 07:14 PM |
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I think it depends on your preferred method of study.
The internet has very good support for GCSE level maths and this covers some pretty good stuff.
A level maths starts to get more subjective and sites are hard to find so at this stage I would be buying A level text books and supplimenting them
with online content.
Further on from that you really need a subject like mentioned before. You should know what you like in maths and aim to keep your interest levels high
by only studying the topics you want.
Like mentioned before applied maths is great. I love it, I sat an exam last month that included a question about 15w 40 oil and how much friction the
big end bearings had at 7k RPM from cold, DONT REV A COLD ENGINE! Now I know why!!
Im currently studying with OU (BEng product design) and have my old maths books. I studied MU123 and MST124. These subjects cover from very simple
stuff to alot of the heavy mind bending principles of maths but are not applied and are considered pure. They do get your mind set on understanding
some very juicy maths that is to degree level and beyond.
I know this as I am married to a MEng mechanical engineer and have sis in law that got a 1st in Maths, both at bath uni  Both very talented. women,
and both impressed with my level of study considering its only OU and part time!!
Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!
Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1
Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I
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davro
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| posted on 16/7/16 at 02:36 PM |
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Mr Whippy, sounds like the same school are math teacher was one of the most arrogant POS I have had the misfortune to cross paths with ...
Recently I have been helping out a younger friend of mine who is going though his "education experience" and I have found the khan academy
a very good resource for free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Simply amazing website/videos and content. Are education system really
could learn a lot from this organization.
https://www.khanacademy.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_Academy
https://www.youtube.com/user/khanacademy/videos
[Edited on 16/7/16 by davro]
[Edited on 16/7/16 by davro]
[Edited on 16/7/16 by davro]
Dax Rush MC with Camber Compensation, Suzuki Hayabusa
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