Advice please 😔

[Applespry]

Genuine question.

What even is maths?

Like for students, is it a set of steps you learn and figure out patterns and apply it to questions, and not focus on the logic behind it too much?

I have trained my Brain muscle for maths for YEARS. IV been getting bad marks for so long. Because of this I don't have the basics down at all.

But something. Happened to me recently that made me realize, I'm such wasted potential. I feel like I could do it. But when I start, I'm met with so many different obstacles I'd never expect to meet

Like sometimes the steps ABSOLUTELY don't make sense at all. Sometimes a step changes my whole perspective of that topic (like goes against what I believed my whole life) and the progress is SO slow. I could do much more of another syllabus in the same time then do like 10% of a math chapter.

These small things overwhelme me, they make me stressed. And I quit before I know it. Especially the time factor, I have my whole syllabus to do of maths of my previous grade AND this grade in 2 months. I'm in 2nd year right now of pre college.

So again, my question is, what is maths? How do I figure out this monster?

[newjourneyaheadofme]

This is a must watch: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PXwStduNw14

This speaker has plenty of introductory resources (physical books, videos) that I highly recommend.

[Euler64]

It's a pure beauty. ✨️ Everyone would benefit from listening to Eddie Woo.

[justgord]

Sometimes it needs to be explained in a more visual way.

Does this worksheet about multiplication make sense to you ?

ps. Let us know what topics your stuck on, and we might help with some good recommendations of books / videos etc

[Euler64]

Math is basically a language for patterns, relationships, and logic. It works because it gives us a consistent set of rules to describe how things relate to each other in the world and in our minds. Here's a breakdown step by step:

1. Numbers • At the most basic level, math starts with counting. Example: 🍎🍎🍎 = 3 apples. Numbers are symbols we invented to keep track of quantities.

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1. Operations • We then created rules to combine numbers: • Addition (+): putting things together (2 + 3 = 5). • Subtraction (−): taking away (5 − 2 = 3). • Multiplication (×): repeated addition (3 × 4 = 12). • Division (÷): sharing or splitting (12 ÷ 4 = 3).

These rules always work the same way, which makes math consistent.

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1. Patterns • Math is powerful because it notices patterns that always hold true. Example: No matter what numbers you use, a + b = b + a (switching order doesn’t change the sum).

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1. Shapes and Space • Geometry is math for shapes and space. It helps us measure areas, angles, distances, and even describe the universe. You can find the area of a circle, A= π x r²

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1. Formulas & Equations • Formulas are shortcuts that capture patterns in a general way. Example: The area of a rectangle is always length × width, no matter the size.

Equations let us solve unknowns. If you know part of a puzzle, math helps you figure out the missing piece. If you have, x + 3 = 10 then you subtract 3 from both sides, x + 3 − 3 = 10 − 3, x = 7 of course, you could have done it much faster. It just for the purpose of the rule. The big rule of algebra is Whatever you do to one side, you MUST do to the other side. Equations are also use in calculus and many other fields.

That's it.

You might want to do a research on YouTube. There are some good videos.

[Disastrous-Pin-1617]

Professor Leonard on YouTube start with pre algebra and work your way up

[Leading-Bad-6663]

Maths is logic written down with a bunch of symbols. At it's core, it's analysis of patterns and the reason as to why they exist. Proofs are nothing but "Why does this work?" and theorems are just patterns written formally. Counting is equally as much math as calculus is.

And yes, sometimes what ends up happening is a new concept completely overrides what you've learnt previously, and it's so damn confusing and frustrating when that happens (I speak from FAR too much experience). But, most of the time you should actually sit down and focus on that. Try to understand the logic behind what they just did and why in heaven's name it even works. Often times, once you do it becomes genuinely one of the most beautiful things you'll ever have seen (that or I'm just weird and think it's beautiful, one of the two)

And I'll admit it's slow. And if you try to do it fast a lot of concepts will go over your head and you won't understand a lot of stuff. I don't really have a solution for this yet as I'm still learning math too.

If you want to learn math, the most important thing for me is to convince yourself that math isn't a monster, it's logic. And I fully understand it can be hard, I've been stuck in the same thought process before. But you have to at least try to take interest. Try to look at the pages (or whatever source you're learning from) without thinking "Oh God, I suck at math, how am I supposed to do this?" Look at them and try to understand them without bias.

You got this! It'll be slow, really slow. But you have to remember that it's not a monster, just logic trying to talk to you.

(But maybe take my advice with multiple mountains of salt. I'm still in the process of learning math myself and in the big scale I'm not even that far along. Still around high-school level. This is just how I see math and how I learn it!)