1) Set a timer. Just having a timer running will put you in "focus mode" 2) Make it a daily habit. 3) Have a set number of problems to solve in one day. Do not set the bar too high. 4) Have a peaceful/comfortable environment to study 5) Take breaks! If you cannot solve a problem, come back to it. Do not "overtrain" your brain.
1) 0:40 Set a timer 2) 2:22 Make it a daily habit 3) 3:05 Have a set number of problems 4) 5:10 Have a comfortable environment to study 5) 6:07 Take breaks 6) 8:23 Closing words & recap (TLDR)
1) To use your phone, put it on plane mode so you don't receive any calls/texts/notifications. 2) Set up a habit tracker, i.e. bullet journal, where you mark off the habit.
yo what's up math sorcerer! i'm not sure if you remember me but i've been a frequent commenter on your vids throughout the past couple years. i just graduated this semester with a bachelor's of science in applied math so it's awesome to finally be done. thanks for all your help and wisdom during my undergrad! this channel shall be cherished forever
I'm relieved to know doing 5-10 problems a day is enough! I like the suggestion not to use a timer from a phone or computer. Calls, text, and the internet are distracting. Being very fast is not as important as not slowing down, and I think following this advice will help us avoid slowing down. Thanks Math Sorcerer!
@Palolo how about what you want? Don't let anyone disgust you of what you love, including your parents. Someday you might be able to pull off 50 problems a day who knows.
I spent a decade teaching adults and since this was in the field of computers, I needed to engage in a _lot_ of continuing professional development. The key to learning any language is repetition and so a daily routine is best. Most people’s attention span is no longer than 30 minutes. If you want to spend an hour a day, then two periods of 30 minutes a few hours apart will be much more effective than a single period of 60 minutes. Also most of us have a limit of being only able to learn 5 to 7 new concepts in a day. My mathematical abilities were appalling until In my early teens I came across two self-paced training manuals at my local library. One was in pure and one applied mathematics. I managed to achieve a huge amount of progress in about 4 weeks and never looked back. Oh, and most of us have a cooking device such as an oven with a timer built in. As an enthusiastic home cook I have another two kitchen timers. The local thrift shop sells them for a dollar or two each.
Taking a break and coming back later is sometimes the most important thing one can do. Once, when I was studying Probability Theory, there was a statement in my text that was given without proof. It just kept bugging me as to why the statement should be valid. So, I decided to set out to prove it. I began working out a proof and I was on the right track but something eluded me and I wasn't able to complete the proof. So I kept at it for hours and hours, thinking and rethinking, trying variations on my approach. It was late, I was tired, I couldn't stay away, and I had to sleep. So I very reluctantly got up and went to sleep and fell asleep thinking about the proof. When I got up the next morning and I started working on my proof again it kicked right in and I was able to complete the proof quickly. Everything made sense. This has happened on numerous occasions where taking a break actually worked on my behalf. I am sure anyone who has ever done any serious math has experienced this phenomenon. Nonstop thinking and rethinking is not always the best approach. Allowing for a break and coming back to the problem later can often make a world of difference and can make the difference between success and failure.
Bro all the weightlifting analogies were very much appreciated. I started lifting a couple years ago and it turned my life around so much in terms of skills, responsibilities and friends that I'm now going back to school; right now at community college for an associates in chem but im going to take all the math I can and that will help me choose a B.S. when it comes time to transfer
I have a real problem where I feel I have to do every problem in a math book, otherwise I don't feel like I've studied it. Unfortunately it therefore takes me months or even years to study a single book, depending on how complex it is. I make little progress and I don't enjoy it. I think this situation can arise in mathematics because you eventually realize that any difficulties are due to a lack of practice, but this can be a curse as much as a blessing. Thanks for your video, it's given me a few things to think about.
🌹💙 Breaks-especially getting enough rest is extremely important. Once while taking a math class in college, I studied like 50 hours for this really important test. Because I worked full time I had to forgo sleep to cover the material adequately (I thought). On test day, as soon as I began taking the test my mind went blank! I almost failed it. Those 50 hours I studied would have been better spent studying 20 hours and sleeping 30! Thanks Math Sorcerer for everything you do. I’m a new subscriber, about to go back to college in my sixties to finish what I started decades ago. Blessings to everyone who loves mathematics! 🙂
I started to learned piano at 64 and there's nothing better than a daily schedule. Your tips on learning math is applicable to learning piano or any other discipline. I'm in the beginner-intermediate stage so this means I'm trying to get my hands to work independently, learn 88 notes, music theory, read music, sight read, etc. I'm still developing the process but here's how I broke down your tips for me: 15 minutes or so to warm up and review previous music learned (3-5 pieces); 5-10 minutes sight reading and playing 3-5 pieces in a given key (i.e., G major); and about 45 minutes to learn the new piece, especially the difficult passage I need to nail. Again, thank you. [Final thought: Did you know music and music theory is math? We have to learn 4/4 time, 3/4, 6/8 time, etc.; a measure can be broken up into whole notes, quarter, half, eighth, sixteenth, etc. I'm not a musical expert but I believe each string is measured precisely based on math principles.]
Summary. 1. Time your sessions. Don’t use a smart device. Get a timer. 2. Make studying a daily habit. Don’t overdo it. 3. Try to do a certain number of problems daily. Set a realistic goal. 4. Make sure you’re comfortable when you’re studying. Make sure you feel good. 5. Take a break when you need one.
I just found your channel, and I gotta tell you, when you said it's ok to take breaks I almost cried. I feel very guilty and anxious everytime I stop studying. I'm almost graduating in biology and I already started a second undergraduate course on Data Science, which is waaay out of my comfort zone. I always loved maths, physics, chemistry, but it was never comfortable to study them. I'm trying really hard to make this work, I wanna do some conservation work with the help of data science, it's very important to me, and I really want to succeed. Taking breaks always feels wrong, like I'm not trying hard enough, I'm being lazy or something like that. It gives me so much anxiety, I end up doing absolutely nothing. Thank you so much for your videos, it's a really important Service for students. You're important!
One tip that helped me a lot over the years is to sleep properly and for 8 hours a day if possible, or at least 6. Some people don't seem to understand how much a good night in bed is important for the brain to assimilate new knowledge
It is interesting how this really applies to most things people want to learn. The same tips here work with mastering a music instrument or acquiring a foreign language. I started watching these videos because the TH-cam algorithm thought I wanted a list of books for self teaching math. Thank you Math Sorcerer!
Please do make a video for graduate level. You've been very helpful to me during my self-study preparing for grad school, especially when my background is not at all related to maths. I'm starting Ph.D. in Applied Math this Fall thanks to all your advice. I'm really looking forward to it if you're planning to make a video for grad students.
I think one of the problems is that, actually, a lot of us don't really have a lifetime to do this. Many of us that really need the "adult" math, find ourselves in the situation long after the groundwork should have been done. Got a degree in biology but realize that in the real world, epidemiological work requires a lot more data fitting and modelling? Have fun trying to pick that up in the time it might take you to do a graduate degree (that will largely be empirical, since you don't have the math ability, and equally soak up all your time). Want to be an ecologist because you're good with animals? Hope you're good at calculus. Most of us aren't mathematicians yet now live in a world in which you need to be one; as well as a computer scientist and whatever your actual skill you liked doing was. But, we certainly aren't given the time necessary to gain competency in all these things. Esp. if you're the non-tradition, first generation educated in a family that never had access before.
I mean is it really that bad? My dad had the same issue coming from Guyana and having to learn statistics but if you can grasp the algebra and then the basic introductory courses, you’re fine, and realistically anybody can spend an hour online learning five hours worth of lessons in school
I discovered this while learning languages as an adult. So true. I wish TH-cam had existed while I was doing my maths degree! I'd be interested if you could do a video comparing studying maths with learning a language. Maybe a conversation between yourself and someone like Steve Kaufmann or Luca Lampariello?
Taking a break isn't so much about getting some rest, as it is more about escaping a bad mind-frame. Sometimes if you are caught in a state of confusion or lack of understanding, it is better to stop rather than try to power through the problem. Stepping away helps you clear your mind and reset to start again with a better, more objective perspective. Many times I have helped people find mistakes in their work while looking over their shoulder, even though I may not have had as much knowledge or training. I only had a clearer mind unhindered by confusion or frustration. It's like finding the missing semi-colon ; at the end of a C program statement, that caused you to waste 5 hours looking for a bug that you were certain was something obscure and complicated.
I’ve had this, specially when programming, usually I get mental fatigue from frustration and it would be pointless to keep working as my improvements would be minimal either way
Great message, but I hope everyone watching keeps in mind that we overestimate what can be accomplished in a week (or month), and underestimate what can be accomplished in a year (or decade).
I always come home from work very depressed, tired, and demotivated. Taking a break/nap does NOT help. I struggle to do my studies sometimes and other times I do study but feel like poo. This is an everyday thing. In the morning I feel good studying (which is why I get up at 4 or 5 am). But work really drains my emotional energy. Not sure what to do about it
It's REALLY hard to work and go to school. I think what you are doing is good. The fact you are getting up early and studying before work is awesome. Maybe just make it a habit to use that time after work to just unwind and relax. One idea is to only do math after work when studying before exams. This helps you balance things more, and you will feel better. Hopefully this results in "enough study time", and it just might be! Good luck and keep it up:)
Thank you so much for your time and effort on your videos! I just graduated this semester with my bachelor's of science in Applied Mathematics and I appreciate ALL your content that helped me get through my college journey! :D
As a software engineer - my real breakthroughs always happen when I am away from the machine, either taking a walk or in a break. Breaks are extremely important!
I've been reading Deep Work and it's a really insightful book for those wanting to tackle mentally challenging problems that arise throughout life, and I've been applying it to study for my classes, especially calc 3. I failed once because I got through 1 and 2 in a really bodgy way, but I hope to make up for it this time. Feel free to mention me on July and so I can give feedback of how it went. Anyway, thanks for the great video.
You have an amazing channel... even if I don't do math for a couple of days I often find myself stumbling onto a video of yours on a completely unrelated topic to what I'm trying to learn and it still gives me that "oh cool, I have missed solving problems., I guess tomorrow is going to be a math day !" kind of a feeling. Thanks a bunch !
Hey Mister Math Sorcerer!! I just want to say a big thank you!! Your statistic videos helped me out during my stats course. I appreciate you! Wouldn't know what I would've done during the course. Glad I stumbled upon your videos. Big thank you!!
Give this man more subs. Great tips mister. I think they aren't usefull just for maths but they seem like some quality life lessons as well. Thank you.
I'm almost at 60 days at studying math every day, and I can feel myself getting less efficient as the scope of the subjects I study increase. For example, if I'm using spaced repetition then I find that I'm obligated to do so many problems that I can't move forward to study new material
I'd recommend to go over concepts and look at worked solutions for those problems rather than redoing them Edit: After you're comfortable with the problems of course, definitely practice first.
how are you using spaced repetition to learn math? Are you using it to memorize formulas and concepts? I ask because I've seen someone who used to put just problems in their SRS.
@@DOROnoDORO On a day that I'm supposed to study a concept, I so problems for that concept. Obviously over time I use up the easy problems and I'm left with the hard/tricky problems
Thank you so much for all these videos. You have helped open up a whole new world for me. I am loving math and find real joy in working on math and doing math self study. Not only that but you have helped me overcome math phobia and reach out for higher academic levels and higher paying carreer. It has also helped open up a vast spiritual world of math which enriches my creativity and soul.
I would add that a neuroscientist said that there are this incredible data on micro resting aka "gap effect" that can dramatically increase learning capabilities. You rest every so often (doing absolutely nothing during 10 seconds) in the middle (at random) of your study, then you resume your study. Without you knowing it the hippocampus (and the neocortex) undergoes replay of what you are studying at 20 times the speed, also in reverse just as in sleep and that can lead and has been shown to lead to acceleration of learning ...
I started taking Grade 11 math this summer and It's the first day and I my mind is so exhuasted. I spent all night yesterday finishing up homeowrk because we learned 4 lessons that day. But I am still determined to do better in math and atleast pass with an 85! Its a bold goal for me but I really want to get into archiecture and I have faith that I can if I continue to work hard and use my time effiectively, I will reap what I sow! So Praise God 😁😁 And This video was extremely encouraging to me so thank you Math Sorcerer! God bless you
Please do makes a videos again beacause i really like your videos and it is really help for me as a high school student and to our classroom i am the most best in math in my classmates beacause this videos the one who help me in math problems thank your very much and it is really helpful for me
This is almost exactly the same as when I took music lessons growing up. I played the violin and had to practice at least an hour a day, and I had a good teacher (the best around) who made sure we practiced - and he could tell if we were or not. He emphasized technique before moving on to pieces (which he called "dessert") - scales and studies from a reputable pedagogue, to be practiced in all sorts of bowing and rhythm patterns, and with appropriate posture or "style" and with a real good tone quality and technique. As long as we were doing good in that department, he would let us play pieces that we would perform at his weekly recitals at his studio, with the other students and their parents as our audience. He was one of the best teachers around and this daily routine sounds much like page from his playbook. People sometimes compare music to math, and it wasn't until I got interested in it that I figured I'd approach it the same way just because I wanted to be connected to it just like I was with music all through school. I just loved that feeling of having done a real good job, and to me solving problems was like performing - there's a flow to the process, step by step, and a real beauty going from one step to another. Whenever I practice scales on the violin I also wanted to make them sound beautiful, do something musical with them so they wouldn't sound boring. That's the way I love to approach math problems, so each process becomes a very beautiful thing to be performed, and in my case, experienced since there isn't anyone else around, but if there was I'd be able to explain each step of the process so somebody else could experience the beauty too. On the math project I'm currently working on, I go over and over the process and boil it down to its bare minimum essence, and it's surprising what new insights that brings. But that's another story. Thanks for reading this!
I was out of work one winter when I was twenty and studied C. Algebra, trigonometry, analytic geometry and lastly - calculus. I studied from 9PM to 3AM every night for 3 months no problem. It served me well when I studied economics at the university.
I am 39 and never really went to school. I am trying to work on math to get my GED. I am already good at the basics and am working on long division and multiplication. Do you have any videos for beginners on the same boat as me?
good tips. Mine is, if you encounter a hard problem which you have no idea of what to do with, just move to the next and don't waste too much time on it. Maybe you can go back for it later. And unsolved problems remind me to stay humble and stay hungry.
Learn the multiplication table and dont assume you know them before trying to solving problems. Also although there are many abstract mathematical concepts you should know that most of mathematics actually describes reality , Yes from your everyday routine to much more complex stuff that cannot be seen or felt . It's more of acceptance I think , Could be wrong but that's what I see it. Galeleio Italian scientist had the best description of what mathematics is.
You can probably find a timer in any supermarket, in the kitchen tools section. Cooks use timers all the time and they’re usually the type that you just turn to set for whatever length of time you want. Easy peezy.
Thank you for teaching me how to learn maths faster I'm always bad in maths i don't like it maths is like so so hard for me so thank you for giving me this tips for help 😊 ☺️ 😄 😀
Going back to college next year in June and i have until then to get myself caught back up. Its been roughly 8 years for me so im going back to pre algebra, and luckily i understand most of the concepts. There are some things im picking up on so I'm trying to solidify my basics. Susanna Epps discreet math is on the way to my house as well.
Having fun while doing maths really helped me a lot Just a week ago I found a pretty good and easy and short method of proving a differential equation which my teacher didn't taught me
I want to be fantastic at algebra and have be at least average at calculus by July or August at the latest. Then I plan to try to get into some online college classes toward teaching math in junior high or high school. I'm surprised to find out being fantastic at algebra is actually viable for me. Not sure about the calculus. Right some of the calculus I see in videos looks like a space alien language to me. I'n hoping that changes the higher algebra I get into.
Yeah you will rock the calculus. Honestly what makes calculus hard is the harder algebra:) There is of course notation and stuff to deal with in Calculus, but yeah. Good luck:)
Years ago, I used to keep digital timer for painting (my career). I paint for minimum 5 hours. Everytime when I got interrupted by others' calls, I'd immediately pause the timer. I'd resume the timer when I am free from distractions. Pity, I don't have a digital timer today. I could use it for math studies.
sir love your advice and your vedios ❤ i've started from algebra polynomails (linear equation) iam iam BA pol.science student my goal is to reach calculas and vector love frim india sir ❤
This video earned you a subscriber thank you for the tips and encouragement Im going to start from the basics. I will watch this video again when I need a little push
So, I could use my phone's timer and everything else mentioned in this video to brush up on my math skills. I remember a lot from calculus (such as the power rule, chain rule, trig identities and their derivatives, etc.)
I started 6 months ago practicing math for 2 hour each day on average though my best time went to 7 hour one day...and now it has become a bad habit and i can't get rid of it🤣 but yeah it is fun and going through that lonely path of hard work gives me the satisfaction as we don't get support from our school about olympiads and other math contests
any advice on basic good habits you may take for granted? have you thought much about diet, exercise, sleep, etc and how they play a role in your ability to properly focus?
Any tips on how to discover anything new in mathematics? For example, if you know programming, you can "invent", but mathematics it is something else...
I have my notifications turned off and my phone on silent mode mostly because I'm trying to save my battery and I don't need notifications on for any of my apps. And by the way social media is a distraction which is why I deleted most of it (except Instagram) 2 years ago. It's a waste of time and a waste of my life.
O Sorcerer, could you make a video for younger math students on finding our Gaps in Knowledge. I can use myself as an example, I tend be very good at math, but I lose so many marks because tiny bits of gaps in my math knowledge that I didn't have time to find out. It's usually the same for other younger students. Now remember, I am talking about a weak foundation, I am talking about tiny gaps of knowledge, such as, I find out after 2 years of skipping this, that, I didn't understand Sig Figs, when I finally fixed that gap in my knowledge, I regained alot of marks, but 2 years is way too long to be fixing a gap, are there any ways of shortening that time other than just "DOING MORE MATH PROBLEMS"?
Thank you so much math sorcerer :') it really helps me out . Currently m feeling burned-out :( after doing a lot of math , i been doing differential equations and multi-variable calculus ,and i m feeling like I need a little long break to get back on the track .
A question for you, can you tell us about how older math books differ from new ones ? like do math books expire ? In Universities they always make you get the very latest most expensive version.
One the things that i've discovered during my math studies to realize if i've studied good or not,is at night when i try to sleep,my mind is still doing the problems inevitably.I'm really curious if that has happened to you or not
Im gonna have 3 more maths exams, linear algebra 2, calculus 2 and an all-in thing. Ive done discrete maths already, but outside of maths, Im gonna have 2 chemistry exams and a programming one as well. and I have somewhat 4 weeks to complete all of them. 😅 These tips help a lot now tbh.
Thanks for sharing these ideas, I have the desire to self-study to go to and do a PhD. in statistics or economics or something combined. I need to know that what I'm doing it's done with rigor (in the data analysis field i think)
Nice timer! I recently got a silly monkey timer with a mechanical bell which is not too loud. I really like having a timer. It's really useful for motivating me to focus.
Dear Sir I am an eternal student. Most of the time I solve exercises with Graphers and with AutoCAD from an Excel sheet. My profession is Mechanical Designer. I did not finish university but I always continued studying geometry for mechanisms I'm curious about Eugene V. Shikin's Andbook and Atlas of Curves best regards I do not speak English I am from Argentina
Hi, there. I want to recommend you to read this interesting book: The Circadian Code by Satchin Panda, Ph.D. You will find a natural relationship among learning and sleeping. Other relationship, the circadian code and the learning process. Enjoy it.
Also, there's one more thing to have, you need a purpose. There are too many subjects in mathematics. You need to know what you want to go before you start the sailing.
Hi I will take real analysis at the University of Waterloo next term, where they teach us elpison and delta to prove calculus, btw I found it really difficult, do you have some suggestions?
1) Set a timer. Just having a timer running will put you in "focus mode"
2) Make it a daily habit.
3) Have a set number of problems to solve in one day. Do not set the bar too high.
4) Have a peaceful/comfortable environment to study
5) Take breaks! If you cannot solve a problem, come back to it. Do not "overtrain" your brain.
Insta liked the video and insta liked the comment, extremely useful TLDR. Thank you good sir.
5th I don't agree,
I liked first one a lot
1) 0:40 Set a timer
2) 2:22 Make it a daily habit
3) 3:05 Have a set number of problems
4) 5:10 Have a comfortable environment to study
5) 6:07 Take breaks
6) 8:23 Closing words & recap (TLDR)
1) To use your phone, put it on plane mode so you don't receive any calls/texts/notifications.
2) Set up a habit tracker, i.e. bullet journal, where you mark off the habit.
Thank you 👍
yo what's up math sorcerer! i'm not sure if you remember me but i've been a frequent commenter on your vids throughout the past couple years. i just graduated this semester with a bachelor's of science in applied math so it's awesome to finally be done. thanks for all your help and wisdom during my undergrad! this channel shall be cherished forever
What's up man! YES I definitely know who you are! That is awesome:)
Congrats bro
Amazing!
I hope you find an exceptional job
Congrats!
I'm relieved to know doing 5-10 problems a day is enough! I like the suggestion not to use a timer from a phone or computer. Calls, text, and the internet are distracting. Being very fast is not as important as not slowing down, and I think following this advice will help us avoid slowing down. Thanks Math Sorcerer!
you are very welcome!
@Palolo how about what you want? Don't let anyone disgust you of what you love, including your parents. Someday you might be able to pull off 50 problems a day who knows.
I am left with 10 exersices and I only have a day left
I spent a decade teaching adults and since this was in the field of computers, I needed to engage in a _lot_ of continuing professional development. The key to learning any language is repetition and so a daily routine is best. Most people’s attention span is no longer than 30 minutes. If you want to spend an hour a day, then two periods of 30 minutes a few hours apart will be much more effective than a single period of 60 minutes. Also most of us have a limit of being only able to learn 5 to 7 new concepts in a day.
My mathematical abilities were appalling until In my early teens I came across two self-paced training manuals at my local library. One was in pure and one applied mathematics. I managed to achieve a huge amount of progress in about 4 weeks and never looked back.
Oh, and most of us have a cooking device such as an oven with a timer built in. As an enthusiastic home cook I have another two kitchen timers. The local thrift shop sells them for a dollar or two each.
Excellent comment, thank you!
This guy even looks like a sorcerer
Taking a break and coming back later is sometimes the most important thing one can do. Once, when I was studying Probability Theory, there was a statement in my text that was given without proof. It just kept bugging me as to why the statement should be valid. So, I decided to set out to prove it. I began working out a proof and I was on the right track but something eluded me and I wasn't able to complete the proof. So I kept at it for hours and hours, thinking and rethinking, trying variations on my approach. It was late, I was tired, I couldn't stay away, and I had to sleep. So I very reluctantly got up and went to sleep and fell asleep thinking about the proof. When I got up the next morning and I started working on my proof again it kicked right in and I was able to complete the proof quickly. Everything made sense. This has happened on numerous occasions where taking a break actually worked on my behalf. I am sure anyone who has ever done any serious math has experienced this phenomenon. Nonstop thinking and rethinking is not always the best approach. Allowing for a break and coming back to the problem later can often make a world of difference and can make the difference between success and failure.
Bro all the weightlifting analogies were very much appreciated.
I started lifting a couple years ago and it turned my life around so much in terms of skills, responsibilities and friends that I'm now going back to school; right now at community college for an associates in chem but im going to take all the math I can and that will help me choose a B.S. when it comes time to transfer
Good idea. A B in a hard course is more valuable than an A+ in an easier one .
@@Beny123 since that comment 4 months ago I switched to a double major in Engineering Physics and Mathematics
I have a real problem where I feel I have to do every problem in a math book, otherwise I don't feel like I've studied it. Unfortunately it therefore takes me months or even years to study a single book, depending on how complex it is. I make little progress and I don't enjoy it. I think this situation can arise in mathematics because you eventually realize that any difficulties are due to a lack of practice, but this can be a curse as much as a blessing. Thanks for your video, it's given me a few things to think about.
🌹💙 Breaks-especially getting enough rest is extremely important. Once while taking a math class in college, I studied like 50 hours for this really important test. Because I worked full time I had to forgo sleep to cover the material adequately (I thought). On test day, as soon as I began taking the test my mind went blank! I almost failed it. Those 50 hours I studied would have been better spent studying 20 hours and sleeping 30! Thanks Math Sorcerer for everything you do. I’m a new subscriber, about to go back to college in my sixties to finish what I started decades ago. Blessings to everyone who loves mathematics! 🙂
I started to learned piano at 64 and there's nothing better than a daily schedule. Your tips on learning math is applicable to learning piano or any other discipline. I'm in the beginner-intermediate stage so this means I'm trying to get my hands to work independently, learn 88 notes, music theory, read music, sight read, etc. I'm still developing the process but here's how I broke down your tips for me: 15 minutes or so to warm up and review previous music learned (3-5 pieces); 5-10 minutes sight reading and playing 3-5 pieces in a given key (i.e., G major); and about 45 minutes to learn the new piece, especially the difficult passage I need to nail. Again, thank you. [Final thought: Did you know music and music theory is math? We have to learn 4/4 time, 3/4, 6/8 time, etc.; a measure can be broken up into whole notes, quarter, half, eighth, sixteenth, etc. I'm not a musical expert but I believe each string is measured precisely based on math principles.]
Summary.
1. Time your sessions. Don’t use a smart device. Get a timer.
2. Make studying a daily habit. Don’t overdo it.
3. Try to do a certain number of problems daily. Set a realistic goal.
4. Make sure you’re comfortable when you’re studying. Make sure you feel good.
5. Take a break when you need one.
I just found your channel, and I gotta tell you, when you said it's ok to take breaks I almost cried. I feel very guilty and anxious everytime I stop studying. I'm almost graduating in biology and I already started a second undergraduate course on Data Science, which is waaay out of my comfort zone. I always loved maths, physics, chemistry, but it was never comfortable to study them. I'm trying really hard to make this work, I wanna do some conservation work with the help of data science, it's very important to me, and I really want to succeed. Taking breaks always feels wrong, like I'm not trying hard enough, I'm being lazy or something like that. It gives me so much anxiety, I end up doing absolutely nothing. Thank you so much for your videos, it's a really important Service for students. You're important!
One tip that helped me a lot over the years is to sleep properly and for 8 hours a day if possible, or at least 6. Some people don't seem to understand how much a good night in bed is important for the brain to assimilate new knowledge
It is interesting how this really applies to most things people want to learn. The same tips here work with mastering a music instrument or acquiring a foreign language.
I started watching these videos because the TH-cam algorithm thought I wanted a list of books for self teaching math.
Thank you Math Sorcerer!
One little every day is the secret all things.
Please do make a video for graduate level. You've been very helpful to me during my self-study preparing for grad school, especially when my background is not at all related to maths. I'm starting Ph.D. in Applied Math this Fall thanks to all your advice. I'm really looking forward to it if you're planning to make a video for grad students.
I think one of the problems is that, actually, a lot of us don't really have a lifetime to do this. Many of us that really need the "adult" math, find ourselves in the situation long after the groundwork should have been done. Got a degree in biology but realize that in the real world, epidemiological work requires a lot more data fitting and modelling? Have fun trying to pick that up in the time it might take you to do a graduate degree (that will largely be empirical, since you don't have the math ability, and equally soak up all your time). Want to be an ecologist because you're good with animals? Hope you're good at calculus. Most of us aren't mathematicians yet now live in a world in which you need to be one; as well as a computer scientist and whatever your actual skill you liked doing was. But, we certainly aren't given the time necessary to gain competency in all these things. Esp. if you're the non-tradition, first generation educated in a family that never had access before.
I mean is it really that bad? My dad had the same issue coming from Guyana and having to learn statistics but if you can grasp the algebra and then the basic introductory courses, you’re fine, and realistically anybody can spend an hour online learning five hours worth of lessons in school
I discovered this while learning languages as an adult. So true. I wish TH-cam had existed while I was doing my maths degree! I'd be interested if you could do a video comparing studying maths with learning a language. Maybe a conversation between yourself and someone like Steve Kaufmann or Luca Lampariello?
Taking a break isn't so much about getting some rest, as it is more about escaping a bad mind-frame. Sometimes if you are caught in a state of confusion or lack of understanding, it is better to stop rather than try to power through the problem. Stepping away helps you clear your mind and reset to start again with a better, more objective perspective. Many times I have helped people find mistakes in their work while looking over their shoulder, even though I may not have had as much knowledge or training. I only had a clearer mind unhindered by confusion or frustration. It's like finding the missing semi-colon ; at the end of a C program statement, that caused you to waste 5 hours looking for a bug that you were certain was something obscure and complicated.
I’ve had this, specially when programming, usually I get mental fatigue from frustration and it would be pointless to keep working as my improvements would be minimal either way
You wouldn't have a problem with the missing; if you used a linter.
Great message, but I hope everyone watching keeps in mind that we overestimate what can be accomplished in a week (or month), and underestimate what can be accomplished in a year (or decade).
I always come home from work very depressed, tired, and demotivated. Taking a break/nap does NOT help. I struggle to do my studies sometimes and other times I do study but feel like poo. This is an everyday thing. In the morning I feel good studying (which is why I get up at 4 or 5 am). But work really drains my emotional energy. Not sure what to do about it
It's REALLY hard to work and go to school. I think what you are doing is good. The fact you are getting up early and studying before work is awesome. Maybe just make it a habit to use that time after work to just unwind and relax. One idea is to only do math after work when studying before exams. This helps you balance things more, and you will feel better. Hopefully this results in "enough study time", and it just might be!
Good luck and keep it up:)
Energy management - naps help I you know why, when and how long your energy is out put is. All day
Thank you so much for your time and effort on your videos! I just graduated this semester with my bachelor's of science in Applied Mathematics and I appreciate ALL your content that helped me get through my college journey! :D
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nice
isaac newton advicing me to do better in maths 💀
This guy is sth else. His advice and experience is amazing! Thank you so much
You are so very welcome!
this is the most helpful channel for my math I've ever had...really great advice
Great to hear!
OMG I was already fascinated by this guy when he introduced the first tip. He was just SO SO SO RIGHT. Subscribed imediately.
As a software engineer - my real breakthroughs always happen when I am away from the machine, either taking a walk or in a break.
Breaks are extremely important!
I've been reading Deep Work and it's a really insightful book for those wanting to tackle mentally challenging problems that arise throughout life, and I've been applying it to study for my classes, especially calc 3. I failed once because I got through 1 and 2 in a really bodgy way, but I hope to make up for it this time. Feel free to mention me on July and so I can give feedback of how it went. Anyway, thanks for the great video.
Got it! 91% on my final :)
You have an amazing channel... even if I don't do math for a couple of days I often find myself stumbling onto a video of yours on a completely unrelated topic to what I'm trying to learn and it still gives me that "oh cool, I have missed solving problems., I guess tomorrow is going to be a math day !" kind of a feeling.
Thanks a bunch !
Hey Mister Math Sorcerer!! I just want to say a big thank you!! Your statistic videos helped me out during my stats course. I appreciate you! Wouldn't know what I would've done during the course. Glad I stumbled upon your videos. Big thank you!!
You are welcome! I am happy they helped someone:)
Has been great at helping my grandson do better at learning his hardest subject! Thanks for even caring, and dropping these nuggets!
Great to hear!
My finals are coming up and now I am studying hard for math because math finals are in the next month, thank you for the help.
Sir u r amazing .One of the best foreign maths youtubers.
Give this man more subs. Great tips mister. I think they aren't usefull just for maths but they seem like some quality life lessons as well. Thank you.
8:00 I study math 6 hours conometreted all my study days and I need to take two days off per week in order to not burn out
Thank you, Jeff Bezos with hair!
😂😂😂😂
I'm almost at 60 days at studying math every day, and I can feel myself getting less efficient as the scope of the subjects I study increase.
For example, if I'm using spaced repetition then I find that I'm obligated to do so many problems that I can't move forward to study new material
I'd recommend to go over concepts and look at worked solutions for those problems rather than redoing them
Edit: After you're comfortable with the problems of course, definitely practice first.
how are you using spaced repetition to learn math? Are you using it to memorize formulas and concepts? I ask because I've seen someone who used to put just problems in their SRS.
@@DOROnoDORO On a day that I'm supposed to study a concept, I so problems for that concept. Obviously over time I use up the easy problems and I'm left with the hard/tricky problems
Thank you so much for all these videos. You have helped open up a whole new world for me. I am loving math and find real joy in working on math and doing math self study. Not only that but you have helped me overcome math phobia and reach out for higher academic levels and higher paying carreer. It has also helped open up a vast spiritual world of math which enriches my creativity and soul.
Wow, sounds great to those people who are taking math and have a tough time doing math. Really appreciated. I am gonna apply professor.
I would add that a neuroscientist said that there are this incredible data on micro resting aka "gap effect" that can dramatically increase learning capabilities. You rest every so often (doing absolutely nothing during 10 seconds) in the middle (at random) of your study, then you resume your study. Without you knowing it the hippocampus (and the neocortex) undergoes replay of what you are studying at 20 times the speed, also in reverse just as in sleep and that can lead and has been shown to lead to acceleration of learning ...
I started taking Grade 11 math this summer and It's the first day and I my mind is so exhuasted. I spent all night yesterday finishing up homeowrk because we learned 4 lessons that day. But I am still determined to do better in math and atleast pass with an 85! Its a bold goal for me but I really want to get into archiecture and I have faith that I can if I continue to work hard and use my time effiectively, I will reap what I sow! So Praise God 😁😁 And This video was extremely encouraging to me so thank you Math Sorcerer! God bless you
As a math student and a gymbro I can confirm the analogy. Recovery is important.
Thank you. Going to use this to prepare for a graduate level data science program.
Please do makes a videos again beacause i really like your videos and it is really help for me as a high school student and to our classroom i am the most best in math in my classmates beacause this videos the one who help me in math problems thank your very much and it is really helpful for me
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This is almost exactly the same as when I took music lessons growing up. I played the violin and had to practice at least an hour a day, and I had a good teacher (the best around) who made sure we practiced - and he could tell if we were or not. He emphasized technique before moving on to pieces (which he called "dessert") - scales and studies from a reputable pedagogue, to be practiced in all sorts of bowing and rhythm patterns, and with appropriate posture or "style" and with a real good tone quality and technique. As long as we were doing good in that department, he would let us play pieces that we would perform at his weekly recitals at his studio, with the other students and their parents as our audience. He was one of the best teachers around and this daily routine sounds much like page from his playbook. People sometimes compare music to math, and it wasn't until I got interested in it that I figured I'd approach it the same way just because I wanted to be connected to it just like I was with music all through school. I just loved that feeling of having done a real good job, and to me solving problems was like performing - there's a flow to the process, step by step, and a real beauty going from one step to another. Whenever I practice scales on the violin I also wanted to make them sound beautiful, do something musical with them so they wouldn't sound boring. That's the way I love to approach math problems, so each process becomes a very beautiful thing to be performed, and in my case, experienced since there isn't anyone else around, but if there was I'd be able to explain each step of the process so somebody else could experience the beauty too. On the math project I'm currently working on, I go over and over the process and boil it down to its bare minimum essence, and it's surprising what new insights that brings. But that's another story. Thanks for reading this!
Love your videos man. You are my math youtube professor.
Thank you!!!
I was out of work one winter when I was twenty and studied C. Algebra, trigonometry, analytic geometry and lastly - calculus. I studied from 9PM to 3AM every night for 3 months no problem.
It served me well when I studied economics at the university.
I am 39 and never really went to school. I am trying to work on math to get my GED. I am already good at the basics and am working on long division and multiplication. Do you have any videos for beginners on the same boat as me?
those tips are great for the learning journey in general thanks.
I think this advice is great for learning anything!! Thank you for sharing! 😀
good tips. Mine is, if you encounter a hard problem which you have no idea of what to do with, just move to the next and don't waste too much time on it. Maybe you can go back for it later. And unsolved problems remind me to stay humble and stay hungry.
Read the book "atomic habits" or "the power of habit". You dont rise to the level of your goals you fall to the level of your systems
Maaaaan, your content is amazing! Greets from Serbia!!!
Learn the multiplication table and dont assume you know them before trying to solving problems. Also although there are many abstract mathematical concepts you should know that most of mathematics actually describes reality , Yes from your everyday routine to much more complex stuff that cannot be seen or felt . It's more of acceptance I think , Could be wrong but that's what I see it. Galeleio Italian scientist had the best description of what mathematics is.
Thank you for very direct and insightful everytime.
You can probably find a timer in any supermarket, in the kitchen tools section. Cooks use timers all the time and they’re usually the type that you just turn to set for whatever length of time you want. Easy peezy.
Thank you so much
Thank you for teaching me how to learn maths faster I'm always bad in maths i don't like it maths is like so so hard for me so thank you for giving me this tips for help 😊 ☺️ 😄 😀
Going back to college next year in June and i have until then to get myself caught back up. Its been roughly 8 years for me so im going back to pre algebra, and luckily i understand most of the concepts. There are some things im picking up on so I'm trying to solidify my basics. Susanna Epps discreet math is on the way to my house as well.
I got the timer. It's awesome! I set it to 15 minutes, then reset. I need an opportunity to bail...
this is so helpful I will make my own schedule from this moment 😮
Having fun while doing maths really helped me a lot
Just a week ago I found a pretty good and easy and short method of proving a differential equation which my teacher didn't taught me
advice noted....advice taken.....thx a mil....appreciate it!
I want to be fantastic at algebra and have be at least average at calculus by July or August at the latest. Then I plan to try to get into some online college classes toward teaching math in junior high or high school. I'm surprised to find out being fantastic at algebra is actually viable for me. Not sure about the calculus. Right some of the calculus I see in videos looks like a space alien language to me. I'n hoping that changes the higher algebra I get into.
Yeah you will rock the calculus. Honestly what makes calculus hard is the harder algebra:) There is of course notation and stuff to deal with in Calculus, but yeah. Good luck:)
@@TheMathSorcerer thanks. 😃hope so.
I'm dyscalculic with a 4th grade level of understanding in math 😔. Can you do a video regarding dyscalculia? What can be done to overcome it ?
Years ago, I used to keep digital timer for painting (my career). I paint for minimum 5 hours. Everytime when I got interrupted by others' calls, I'd immediately pause the timer. I'd resume the timer when I am free from distractions.
Pity, I don't have a digital timer today. I could use it for math studies.
Thank you for the video! Self study can be a true struggle.
All like all tips, but the pizza is the best!! Thanks!! Good video!
sir love your advice and your vedios ❤
i've started from algebra
polynomails (linear equation)
iam iam BA pol.science student
my goal is to reach
calculas and vector
love frim india sir ❤
This video earned you a subscriber thank you for the tips and encouragement Im going to start from the basics. I will watch this video again when I need a little push
I liked it !!!
So, I could use my phone's timer and everything else mentioned in this video to brush up on my math skills. I remember a lot from calculus (such as the power rule, chain rule, trig identities and their derivatives, etc.)
I started 6 months ago practicing math for 2 hour each day on average though my best time went to 7 hour one day...and now it has become a bad habit and i can't get rid of it🤣 but yeah it is fun and going through that lonely path of hard work gives me the satisfaction as we don't get support from our school about olympiads and other math contests
He do be legit on fire, this advice made my day
any advice on basic good habits you may take for granted? have you thought much about diet, exercise, sleep, etc and how they play a role in your ability to properly focus?
Any tips on how to discover anything new in mathematics? For example, if you know programming, you can "invent", but mathematics it is something else...
I stopped taking Math after sixth grade. I have always wanted to learn Math again. I have just never found the "right" method. Maybe you can help?
Wow! The white stuff toy on your left on the bookshelf is super cute!
Very useful and very helpful video Sir , i am from India , Kolkata City , very nice video 🙏
I have my notifications turned off and my phone on silent mode mostly because I'm trying to save my battery and I don't need notifications on for any of my apps. And by the way social media is a distraction which is why I deleted most of it (except Instagram) 2 years ago. It's a waste of time and a waste of my life.
O Sorcerer, could you make a video for younger math students on finding our Gaps in Knowledge. I can use myself as an example, I tend be very good at math, but I lose so many marks because tiny bits of gaps in my math knowledge that I didn't have time to find out. It's usually the same for other younger students. Now remember, I am talking about a weak foundation, I am talking about tiny gaps of knowledge, such as, I find out after 2 years of skipping this, that, I didn't understand Sig Figs, when I finally fixed that gap in my knowledge, I regained alot of marks, but 2 years is way too long to be fixing a gap, are there any ways of shortening that time other than just "DOING MORE MATH PROBLEMS"?
Thank you so much math sorcerer :') it really helps me out . Currently m feeling burned-out :( after doing a lot of math , i been doing differential equations and multi-variable calculus ,and i m feeling like I need a little long break to get back on the track .
Best tips ever!
A question for you, can you tell us about how older math books differ from new ones ? like do math books expire ? In Universities they always make you get the very latest most expensive version.
This is becoming my daily inspiration 👍
Thanks for the Tips, very Helpful, time to do some Math
One the things that i've discovered during my math studies to realize if i've studied good or not,is at night when i try to sleep,my mind is still doing the problems inevitably.I'm really curious if that has happened to you or not
Im gonna have 3 more maths exams, linear algebra 2, calculus 2 and an all-in thing. Ive done discrete maths already, but outside of maths, Im gonna have 2 chemistry exams and a programming one as well. and I have somewhat 4 weeks to complete all of them. 😅 These tips help a lot now tbh.
Thanks for sharing these ideas, I have the desire to self-study to go to and do a PhD. in statistics or economics or something combined. I need to know that what I'm doing it's done with rigor (in the data analysis field i think)
This is useful to anything you want to learn, not just mathematics!
Nice timer! I recently got a silly monkey timer with a mechanical bell which is not too loud. I really like having a timer. It's really useful for motivating me to focus.
Dear Sir
I am an eternal student. Most of the time I solve exercises with Graphers and with AutoCAD from an Excel sheet. My profession is Mechanical Designer.
I did not finish university but I always continued studying geometry for mechanisms
I'm curious about Eugene V. Shikin's Andbook and Atlas of Curves
best regards
I do not speak English
I am from Argentina
Great advice based on experience. Thanks!
Thanks bro I was in so much pain these past days because of math but I will let you know what happens😉
Great video!!!! Math Sorcerer what is your take on a Precalculus Chartbook/Quick Reference Guide?
Hi, there. I want to recommend you to read this interesting book: The Circadian Code by Satchin Panda, Ph.D. You will find a natural relationship among learning and sleeping. Other relationship, the circadian code and the learning process. Enjoy it.
Also, there's one more thing to have, you need a purpose. There are too many subjects in mathematics. You need to know what you want to go before you start the sailing.
Focused learning and diffused learning ...Love hear Illayaraja song and do maths..
Hi I will take real analysis at the University of Waterloo next term, where they teach us elpison and delta to prove calculus, btw I found it really difficult, do you have some suggestions?
Wow Thank you.
These videos help a lot, big thankys