How can I become a mathematician?

Question

What do I need to learn first to become a self-taught mathematician? Algebra, calculus, greek symbols??

I don't know a whole lot about maths because I did not get an education but I want to learn myself. I have a book called Introducing pure mathematics by smedley & wiseman and am reading this, but need also some web resources.

Answer 1

There is nothing wrong in wanting to learn, 'Thick' people will try to discourage you because they become jealous of your resolve.
There are some nice people who have answered this question and given good advice support and encouragement. Learning makes you whole and alive and gives purpose in life.
The learning curve would depend on your present knowledge, assuming you know little maths do as a previous answer suggested 'learn your tables', go to a second hand bookshop and buy books dealing with addition, subtraction multiplication and division then look for books of recognised syllabus say GCSE. Move at your own pace and don't be afraid to ask friends who have a better knowledge than you for help. Don't compete, learn because you want to not because you have to. Maths is not hard once you know basic principles. Move on stage by stage. Enter examinations to test yourself, to me there's nothing like the buzz of being in an exam but if exams don't suit you then carry on anyway. I wish you the very best of luck in your endeavours

All the best

Answer 2

Maths is a wonderful subject!

I studied both pure and applied maths at degree level, but as one answer points out (fivetoze), the fun in maths begins when you start to apply some of the principles to everyday life. Only then can you put it in context.

To gently let yourself in to the subject, try reading the following eye-opening books:
"Figuring the Joy of Numbers" by Devi Shakuntala
"Entertaining Mathematical Puzzles" by Martin Gardner

Then to move onto programmatic problem solving try :
Engineering Mathematics 5th ed, K.A. Stroud <--great book!

Good luck in your quest!

Answer 3

To tell the truth, not many of the phonies in the real world get to be mathematicians. I get a real bang out of that. If you don't have an education, there's always a G.E.D. and the math is very easy. The pure mathematics book will probably cover it, but you might want to also brush up on Geometry. If I have any questions, I just google them. That kills me.

Answer 4

Maths is a science. You have to follow a specific pattern to get as far as you want to go. In the beginning is basic number theory - tens and units etc and the relationships between them. then move onto addition and subtraction and from that onto multiplication and division. The most important thing is not actually knowing how to do something, but when to do it. For example, and this may be too advanced (you have not said exactly how far you have got) to find the area of an isosceles triangle, given one side and 2 angles, you need to know the formula for the area of a triangle and the Sine Rule and basic multiplication. You see, if you know what the formula for the area of a triange is and the Sine Rule, but don't recognise that in this case you need to link them together, you will never get anywhere. You need to do maths in small simple steps, and always connect it to your previous experience.
You can't do Volume until you understand Area. You can't do Area until you understand Perimeter. etc.

Answer 5

who needs calculus? but algebra is just replacing a number with a letter like a=5+6, so therefore a must be 11.
greek symbols? again who needs them, try a website for them.
if you do any maths at all then technically u are a mathematician, so just try BBC bitesize website and try out some maths, and u are a mathematician lol

Answer 6

Sometimes it helps to read about mathematicians, instead of reading about mathematics. I particularly enjoy reading (1) Men of Mathematics, by E.T.Bell; and (2) A Mathematician's Apology, by G.H. Hardy. The snippets of mathematics in these books are easier to follow than if you found them in amongst a lot of other mathematics.

Answer 7

Pray to god to help you become a mathematician.
I suggest finding someone who is really good at Math and ask them to teach you. Also, first figure out where you are skill wise for mathematics, and work your way up from there.
And use everything on math that you can find, 'cause you have to learn a lot of equations and theory's. (like Pythagoras theory and the quadratic equation).
And finally, practice, practice, practice.

Answer 8

If you subtract all the complex issues in mathematics and keep exercising your brain muscle you will multiply your knowledge and then when you have gained lots of skill you can share it with other people this will then help you to learn more about maths and of course in the long term it will all add up.
I think that its all Greek to you at the moment.
Pal D

Answer 9

start by adding up whether its worth the trouble in the first place subtracting the times you'll be frustrated at why it won't work multiply by the lack of sense in putting down your workings, cause your sure its the right answer, divide that by the of times you bugger this i'm going to the pub, if you've figured all this out so far you should become a mathematician(or an accountant they're usually richer anyway) or your nuts like me, i which case i reckon it's your round.

Answer 10

First you can start of basic with http://www.bbc.co.uk/ks3bitesize
and then you can go up to http://www.bbc.co.uk/gcsebitesize
prove to someone you can do this and try and find a local college that teaches GCSE Maths. Try and go to college do your A - levels and get somebody to pay for you to go to University! Get a Phd in Mathematics (Philosiphate Historic Doctorate) and thats it!