The Book *The Mathematics of Relativity for the Rest of Us*

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the desire to understand the mathematics underlying physics, particularly for someone who has forgotten much of their high school math. The individual expresses interest in the book "The Mathematics of Relativity for the Rest of Us" but is concerned about potential errors, specifically mentioning a mistake in the second paragraph on page 5. They seek feedback from others who have read the book regarding its accuracy and suitability for someone with a very basic math background. The preference is for an applied approach to learning math, as previous experiences with abstract equations without real-world applications led to a lack of motivation. The poster acknowledges posting in the wrong forum but is focused on finding guidance for their learning journey.
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Hi. I am someone who would like to begin to understand the mathematics behind physics. I have forgotten much of the math that I was taught in high-school, not that I paid much attention at the time, unfortunately. I ran across the book The Mathematics of Relativity for the Rest of Us which looks great, but scrolling down, I found that apparently the second paragraph on page 5 contains erroneous information. I was wondering if anyone here has read the book, and whether or not this is just a mistake or is the text full of errors? Also, what you may have thought of the text for someone that is basically a sixth-grader when it comes to math, and I am afraid I am not exaggerating by too much.

I would prefer to learn the math in an applied manner, as solving a bunch of equations with no visible real world applications is one of the reasons I didn't pay much attention in high school. Not that the payoff isn't worth it; I'm just afraid I will not be able to stay motivated.
 
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Sorry I posted this in the wrong area. Guess I missed the book forum.
 
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This thread only works as a summary from the original source: List of STEM Masterworks in Physics, Mechanics, Electrodynamics... The original thread got very long and somewhat hard to read so I have compiled the recommendations from that thread in an online (Google Drive) spreadsheet. SUMMARY Permits are granted so you can make comments on the spreadsheet but I'll initially be the only one capable of edition. This is to avoid the possibility of someone deleting everything either by mistake...
By looking around, it seems like Dr. Hassani's books are great for studying "mathematical methods for the physicist/engineer." One is for the beginner physicist [Mathematical Methods: For Students of Physics and Related Fields] and the other is [Mathematical Physics: A Modern Introduction to Its Foundations] for the advanced undergraduate / grad student. I'm a sophomore undergrad and I have taken up the standard calculus sequence (~3sems) and ODEs. I want to self study ahead in mathematics...

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