How can I effectively take notes from math textbooks?

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Effective note-taking from math textbooks can be achieved by highlighting key definitions and theorems, rather than writing extensive notes. Skimming the material first helps identify important examples and concepts, making it easier to discern what to focus on. Some recommend writing down solutions to problems that lack answers in the back of the book. Others find that taking notes aids in concentration and summarization, even if they rarely refer back to them later. Overall, a combination of highlighting and selective note-taking can enhance understanding and retention of mathematical concepts.
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I recently enlisted in the US Air Force so I am not attending school this semester; however, I'm still trying to continue strengthening my mathematical skills as well as adventure into new parts of mathematics. I've recently purchased a few new textbooks on an assortment of math subjects and I have run into a problem. That problem is simple. I do not know a good way to take notes from a textbook. Usually, I just take lecture notes from my professors since they basically serve you the important points on a platter. So how do I know which points I should write down and which I should not? Is there an easy method to note-taking from math textbooks?

Any help, information, or tips are greatly appreciated.
 
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Cod said:
I recently enlisted in the US Air Force so I am not attending school this semester; however, I'm still trying to continue strengthening my mathematical skills as well as adventure into new parts of mathematics. I've recently purchased a few new textbooks on an assortment of math subjects and I have run into a problem. That problem is simple. I do not know a good way to take notes from a textbook. Usually, I just take lecture notes from my professors since they basically serve you the important points on a platter. So how do I know which points I should write down and which I should not? Is there an easy method to note-taking from math textbooks?

Any help, information, or tips are greatly appreciated.

I don't write notes if I'm doing independent studying. I just highlight certain things like important definitions, and theorems. I won't highlight obvious statements.

I'd go with highlighting.

If you choose not to, just write down important definitions and theorems (as well as the page number). I would also write down the solutions to the questions who don't have solutions in the back of the text (I always do this).
 
i don't like vandalizing my books with a highlighter so i write down the important stuff, like theorems that have names.
 
How I do it is I simply skim through the first few pages, until the first example. Then take note of how the example is done, at least have a rough idea, then go back again to the first part of the topic and you'l sieve out the useful stuff much easier. When you're confident that you know the process, then go do the example without looking at the solutions first, then when you're done check it.

But i think note taking when learning from a textbook is good. I do take down notes myself when learning from textbooks but hardly refer to them after that. The note taking is meant to help me get into focus and summarize whatever I need to know.
 
Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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