Math books for a complete beginner

[otavio]

Hi,

I'm a high school student from Brazil who knows very little math, but I want to learn more (I've learned some stuff in school and forgot almost all of it).*
Which books would you recommend?

I've heard of Courant's What is Mathematics and of the Schaum's Outlines series. Are these books recommended for a beginner?

 

[Jorriss]

What are your goals in math?

As a blanket suggestion, I would recommend Basic Mathematics by Serge Lang, but it may not be suitable for your goals and experience.

 

[otavio]

My current goal is to learn some calculus by the end of this year, mainly because next year I'm going to the university and I'll probably need to be somewhat familiar with calculus when I get there (I'm intending to study biology).

This book you mentioned looks interesting. I think I will read it, and then I'll look for something on calculus.