Restarting math from Scratch. Need a some advice.

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Okay, so I am 20 years old, did terrible in high school mainly due to lack of motivation / not seeing the point.

I left high school with grade 11 math and had a whopping 52.

Three years later I discovered I like math and seriously want to get to an advanced level. I started taking some remedial grade 10 stuff at a local college, doing very well and not feeling challenged enough.

What I am asking for is some quality textbooks, reads and a possible mathematical sequence to follow for my studies, starting from the basics, algebra and geometry.

Though I am doing well in a grade 10 remedial course, I definitely need a more mathematical understanding of things to go further.

- Thanks to anyone that helps. :smile:
 
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What is the grade 10 remedial course teaching you?

I basically stopped going to high school around 10th grade and only went back when I was 18 after I matured enough to realize that education was the only way to accomplish my goals..

In my case, I was in a special program which allowed me to get my diploma by taking night courses. The last math I had successfully passed with a half assed grade of 70 was algebra. The program gave me a semester of geometry and said it was enough to meet the requirements for math. When I went to college afterwards I started with pre-calculus. Like in your case, it wasn't challenging and I pulled an A easily. After that I started calculus.

From my experience, especially if you aren't in a honors mathematics program, I think if you have a strong command of high school algebra and a little experience with geometry you can start from pre-calculus. If anything, I feel like all the concepts you need to know are reviewed in the courses anyway.
 
Dont worry I went to summer school for nearly all my math courses in high school, and scored on the 7th grade level on my SAT. Got my act together, and I have gotten As in every single math course in college up to calc 2.

I recommend : Algebra & Trigonometry by M. Sullivan 9

I used it for both college algebra and trig.

Ill send you some of my old exams if you would like to be tested as well.
 
DeadOriginal said:
What is the grade 10 remedial course teaching you?

I basically stopped going to high school around 10th grade and only went back when I was 18 after I matured enough to realize that education was the only way to accomplish my goals..

In my case, I was in a special program which allowed me to get my diploma by taking night courses. The last math I had successfully passed with a half assed grade of 70 was algebra. The program gave me a semester of geometry and said it was enough to meet the requirements for math. When I went to college afterwards I started with pre-calculus. Like in your case, it wasn't challenging and I pulled an A easily. After that I started calculus.

From my experience, especially if you aren't in a honors mathematics program, I think if you have a strong command of high school algebra and a little experience with geometry you can start from pre-calculus. If anything, I feel like all the concepts you need to know are reviewed in the courses anyway.

Mainly learned a lot on Factoring / quadratics, linear equations, radicals and minimal geometry.
 
micromass said:
Try "basic mathematics" by Serge Lang. That book certainly does offer a nice challenge as it's not so easy. But it's (in my opinion) the best math book on topics before calculus.

Just bought that, took a quick look on google books and it seems like a great start!

Any more suggestions?
 
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