How do I succeed in math on my own?

[Hierophant]

Right now, I am left to my own devices in that I have to build math skills quite rapidly in the next few months as my local schools are on strike and I am not able to sign up for online school or community college.

What is the best approach for learning math on my own?

I have prealgebra down, that's it.

 

[3.141592]

If you have some money, go onto eBay (probably UK site) and look for course materials for a course entitled 'MU123 Discovering Mathematics'.

You will find it all designed for students learning at a distance i.e. on their own and quite different to standard textbooks which can be quite terse.

I believe it does not assume any knowledge of algebra.

 

[symbolipoint]

You are ready to study "Algebra 1" now, even if you do this on your own. You can ask for help on Physicsforums, and also on other websites. Find a good used book to learn from, such as maybe written by Aufmann and Barker. If it is written for community college students, that's fine. The material is the same, regardless if targeting high schooler's or c.c. students.

 

[verty]

Have a look here at coolmath.com, go through the pre-algebra and algebra sections as quickly as you can, don't get stuck anywhere but just rush through it, get a little bit of everything. Repeat each day until you know it.

You could follow this with more advanced stuff but not yet.

PS. If a topic is too difficult, just skip over it; as you learn more, it'll become easier. This is what I mean by rush through it, if something is too complicated, leave it for later and move on.

 

[TitoSmooth]

I would get a college textbook. They can be found for 5 dollars on amazon

 

[F=qE]

Good advice so far. To chime in my $0.02 - do problems. Drill yourself with problems. And you will learn it :$.

 

[Serious Max]

Khan Academy?

 

[Serious Max]

http://maths.mq.edu.au/numeracy/consolidated_mums/module1/module1.pdf
http://maths.mq.edu.au/numeracy/consolidated_mums/module2/module2.pdf

If you don't have much time, here's some material on pre-algebra and algebra that you can go through pretty fast. The problems give you quite a stretch, so it could serve you as a way to ultimately check if you understand the material well. Sort of a final test.

Although, of course, there aren't so many problems, and it's always better to do as much as you can.

PS Maybe it goes through the topics too rapidly, though, but you'll see if that can work out for you.

 

[Hierophant]

I love physics forum. Very helpful comments guys, helping me out quite a bit :)

Oh and by the way, keep them coming!

I will defeat math, mark my words!