How to Study Mathematics Alone in Self Study

Mathematics is a subject that can be studied alone in self study. Its various topics and specialties require different methods of understanding and practice. It is better to choose the way of learning which is most comfortable for you to study mathematics alone and learn math online.

Right here on Collegelearners, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on how to study mathematics effectively, how to start maths from basic, learn mathematics from basic to advanced, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.

You can learn mathematics alone in self study. Doing so by yourself can dramatically reduce the time it takes to master a subject, increase your ability to understand it and remember it, and greatly enhance your employability. Here’s how to do it right!

Every student has to take mathematics at some point in his or her life. If you are interested in learning about mathematics, then you have come to the right place! Learn all about what you can do on your own.

How to study mathematics alone in self study

Math is one of the most important subjects in school, but it might become an obstacle if you are unable to study by yourself. This article was written to guide you on how to do self-study alone and become a better mathematician.

Learning mathematics alone is a difficult task for many students, as there is quite a lot of required reading material and additional resources to go through. Using self-study materials on mathematics can help in understanding the subject and preparing for exams.

If you could understand plain English and have access to the Internet, then you can definitely study Math on your own.

After you implement everything in this guide, you’ll learn that there’s no one who can teach you faster and better than yourself. (Especially if you use Anki!)

Just a bit of a warning, though: while I said anybody can do this, I’m 100% sure not everybody will.

It’s a bit uncomfortable, actually, especially if it’s your first time doing this. (But super rewarding.)

In this post, you will learn exactly the 9-step approach I used to teach myself Mathematics without relying on someone to teach me.

• The #1 mindset many overlook when studying Math on their own
• The best resources for self-learning Math
• How to take your Math skills to the next level

Let’s get started.

Can you really self-study Math?

Helping students learn math by themselves is no easy task. At infolearners.com, however, we want to show everyone that it can be done! Follow the instructions and practices outlined in this guide for self-study and you’ll be studying mathematics on your own in no time.

Mathematics is a subject that requires a lot of self study. This book will show you how to do mathematics in your own time, so that you can get the results you want.

First of all, if you think you’re not a “Math person” (what the heck does a Math person look like, anyway) you might think that you’d need someone else to teach you Math in a classroom.

But isn’t that the same thing as using online tools? The key here is to just create your own structure like the syllabi you use in school.

With the abundance of free information, lectures, syllabi, ebooks, and MOOCS around, you can certainly self-study Math pretty easily as if you were in college.

The best part is, you do it at your own pace.

No strict schedules, just self-commitment.

However, you gotta think differently about this if you want to reap the rewards.

That is, to recognize that the mental effort you spend practicing a Math topic is the price you pay for making future Math skills easier.

Or more appropriately, it’s the price you pay so you won’t make learning hard for your future self.

Mathematics is all about cumulative knowledge, you know.

Unlike school, you’re going to feel like crap because you’re not changing topics with respect to time — you’re now changing topics based on how fast you master a skill.

Steps to Studying Math on Your Own

I’m going to interrupt you for a bit to make something clear: I created this guide to help people who feel like they’re lagging with their Math skills and want to review it, or people who just want to study Math on their own for some reason.

Each example that I’ll give you is just that–a mere example to help you get the point I’m trying to make. It’s still up to you to apply these steps to your own situation.

Step 1. First, determine where you want to end up

Math builds upon itself, so if you want to learn a subject, say, Calculus, always ask:

What subjects are the prerequisites of this subject?

In my own study, I often ask myself a “skill” based question, rather than a topical one.

“What skills do I have to learn to get better at this one?”

Problem Solving is a skill, after all. You can’t get better at problem-solving if you don’t have the tools; the individual mastery of prerequisite topics.

Which brings me to my next point.

Step 2. Determine where to start, obviously

Now that you have determined your end subject, it’s now time to decide which general topic to start with.

For example, Calculus and its applications are easier if you have the knowledge of Analytic Geometry and Trigonometry.

But Analytic Geometry has some Trigonometry elements included.

So, you can decide to start with Trigonometry.

However, if you don’t have the knowledge of “which is the prerequisite of which” I highly recommend that you find an online curriculum.

Here’s one good roadmap for someone who’s learning Math for Data Science.

Step 3. Find a Syllabus to Avoid Unnecessary Depth

If you’re lost, you go to Google Maps. 

So what do you do when you don’t have a roadmap or a sequence to learn Math?

Use an already-designed Syllabus. They’ll be the roadmap to your self-studying success.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, these can be easily found online.

I mean, just a single Google Search will give you what you’re looking for.

Or, you can just look at your university’s resources and check syllabi for Math subjects.

Step 4. Gather your References, Solution Manuals, and “Solved Problems” Types of Books

Conventional Math learning requires that you go to school, attend classes, do your homework, and then wait for it to be checked before you complete the feedback loop.

I say that’s highly inefficient.

When there are solution manuals or Solved Problems types of books available, it’s better to actually use them side-by-side to your own problem-solving routine.

For this one, I like the “Schaum’s Outlines” series of books. 

The problems are rather hard, the discussions are concise and straight to the point, but you’ll certainly get better at problem-solving EASILY.

Just to be clear, I’m not saying that you should look at the solutions each and every time you’re solving a problem, but whenever you get stuck, you can easily get out and actually learn the solutions faster.

This tight feedback loop is what will allow us to learn math FAST and at our OWN pace.

“What if I don’t understand the material?”

It’s either you don’t have the prerequisites mastered (or not at all), or you’re using an overly complicated book.

Lastly, common sense says that this guide is not the “end-all-be-all” of self-studying Math. You can always consult others when you really get stuck even when you have a solution manual (perhaps it has a typo error or something).

Step 5. Prioritize Deep, Concept-Based Learning

This is brought out by the point raised above, which is to use solution manuals for learning Math to create a quick feedback loop.

However, it’s highly misunderstood by some students.

They feel that when they can memorize how a difficult problem is solved, then that’s good.

It’s a BIG mistake to memorize something you don’t understand.

Relevantly, it’s also a BIG mistake to just understand something but you don’t practice it.

Learn WHY the steps work, because if you do this, you learn once, and solve many.

Step 6. Put Links to Resources in One Place

Since you’re going to be mainly self-studying using Digital Resources, it’s handy to have them all in one place.

Perhaps make them your browser’s homepage.

Make a shortcut or something.

The thing is: make it SO easy for you to access your resources so that you don’t feel friction when you want to study on your own.

This makes it easier to form your study habits–which is always better in the long run.

Step 7. Set aside time for BOTH studying and problem-solving

As I’ve mentioned earlier, just understanding isn’t enough.

You have to practice what you’ve learned.

Just as a beginner can’t play a piano masterpiece instantly after someone good teaches him how to do it, learning new things in Math doesn’t happen with your “aha” moments.

Learning happens when you recall information from your head, not when you’re trying to put things in there.

So, aside from your “absorbing” time, set aside time for practice.

Step 8. Cultivate Deep Work

While practicing, it’s important that you do so without distraction.

Working without internal and external distractions and focusing deliberately on the task at hand, aka Deep Work, improves how your neurons fire together when activated.

This happens because a sheath called myelin is formed whenever you retrieve a piece of information or practice a skill. 

When your attention is channeled into practicing problem-solving, you effectively tell your brain that ONLY those neurons activated during problem-solving should be sheathed with myelin.

When you’re distracted, however, this phenomenon happens poorly, and learning chunks don’t form very well.

Step 9. Avoid “Practice, Practice, Practice”, Do This Instead

This is probably the most common advice given to students who ask “how do I get better at Math?”.

We don’t need more time to practice. We just need to practice better.

Practicing is certainly vital, but there are two kinds of practice: Unproductive, and Productive Practice.

If you do everything in a long stretch of time, infrequently during the week, and just repeating the same problem for multiple times until you “get it” before moving on to the next one, then that’s Unproductive Practice.

Productive Practice is smart practice. 

Here’s how to do it. Two EASY Steps.

• Spread your practice throughout the day, and throughout the week
• When you get the basic idea of a concept, don’t answer multiple problems with the same solution; answer multiple, unrelated problems. (Interleaving)

By doing these, you’re saving a TON of time and energy into learning your Math.

One easy way to do this is by using Anki, but you’ll have to be a bit creative in creating your decks and settings.

The key is to learn the fundamentals, and that’s why I created a free course.

Who says learning Math should be tedious, and time-consuming?

Resources for Studying Mathematics by Yourself

While I’m researching for this article, I’ve found some resources that I think would certainly help you in your self-study quest.

Here are some of the best ones I found:

Guide:

How to Teach Yourself Math by Scott Young 

Scott Young is the man.

When it comes to self-learning, he’s definitely THE go-to guy.

He finished a 4-year CS course at MIT in just 12 months, after all, so I’m pretty sure he knows what he’s talking about.

Tutorials:

• Khan Academy
• PatrickJMT
• Paul’s Online Math Notes
• BetterExplained
• 3Blue1Brown
• Blackpenredpen

MOOCS:

• MIT OCW Scholar
• Coursera
• Udacity

How to Learn More Advanced Mathematics (FREE Resources)

If you want to take your Mathematics Knowledge to the next level, here are some helpful links.

I can’t teach you myself so here are better resources that discuss the topic:

• How to Learn Advanced Mathematics Without Heading to University
• Quora – How can I best learn advanced mathematics on my own?
• Here’s How to Teach Yourself Physics and Math
• Essential Math for Data Science

7 thoughts on “Learn Math On Your Own! 9 Steps Anybody Can Do”

1. JanAugust 22, 2019 at 8:36 pmHow do you to use Anki for math problems ?Reply
   • AlAugust 23, 2019 at 11:37 amFor math problems, you can download a “Solved Problems” book, and then use the complete solution as the “Back” of the card (of course, the question is the “front”). For formulas, though, it’s pretty straightforward.For the intervals, math can absolutely handle longer ones. Say, 1d-7d-14d intervals.But, I recommend just using Interleaving for Math instead of Anki. (I recommend Anki only for the impractically hard, complicated solutions)Reply
2. Ralph A GardnerOctober 3, 2020 at 6:55 pm“Lectures of Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics” 3rd edition by Marco Taboga is really good. It has very clear proofs with worked out examples.From the back cover.
   “This book is a collection of 80 short and self-contained lectures covering most of the topics that are usually taught in intermediate courses in probability theory and mathematical statistics.
   There are hundreds of examples, solved exercises and detailed derivations of important results.
   The step-by-step approach makes the book easy to understand and ideal for self-study.
   One of the main aims of the book is to be a time saver: it contains several results and proofs, especially of probability distributions, that are hard to find in standard references and are scattered hear and there in more specialistic books.”

how to study mathematics effectively

Mathematics or Math; it is a subject that many absolutely dread, while many students find it easy and a scoring subject. If you are also facing difficulty while studying mathematics; follow these simple and effective Math Study Tips to make it easy and fun.

GUEST AUTHOR
CREATED ON: MAY 31, 2021 21:23 IST
Some Effective Tips for Students to Study Maths at ease
Some Effective Tips for Students to Study Maths at ease
Maths It isn’t as scary or difficult as it sounds. For many, it’s a subject they absolutely dread. However, it’s the one subject that will help you even after school is over! It’s also widely used in other subjects like Physics and Chemistry. The best thing about Maths is that, once you get the hang of it, it can be your most scoring subject. It’s not impossible, in fact it’s easier than it looks.

Here are some tips to tackle Maths like an expert!

Practice as much as you can
Maths is a hands on subject. You can’t just ‘learn’ chapters, you have to understand concepts and then keep practicing. It’s ideal to start practicing right from day 1. That way, you will be well practiced by the time the exam arrives. When you’re studying content heavy subjects, you can slip in a bit of Maths practice, so it doesn’t get overwhelming.

Start by solving examples
Don’t start by solving complex problems. If you have just understood the chapter, solving hard sums will give you the wrong answer and discourage you. It might even make you hate Maths some more. Instead, start simple. Solve the examples in your textbook. Make sure you don’t look at the answer before hand. Once you have solved it, compare it to the textbook solution, or the reference book you are using. See if all your steps are correct, not just the main answer. Once you get all the steps right, you are ready to tackle the simpler problems. Once you have mastered those, you can move on to the difficult ones.

Clear all your doubts
It’s easy to get stuck at a doubt in Maths. Don’t let your doubts build, get them cleared as soon as they occur. The sooner you get your doubts resolved, the sooner you get better at those topics. Ask your class teacher, friends or online on an app.

Note down all formulae
When you see something enough, it registers in your memory, even if it’s unconscious. This why some people prefer to stick diagrams or formulae on their study table or in their room. Make flash cards of all the formulae in your textbook and decorate your room with them, at-least until the exam is over!

Understand the derivation
You might think the derivation isn’t as important from the exam point of view, but it’s critical for understanding. You can’t always learn a formula, you need to understand the logic behind it. For example, you need to know why speed is a function of distance and time, instead of simply learning the formula and replacing it with numbers. If you rote learn, there are chances you might forget it during the exam, but if your concepts are clear, it will always be easy to remember.

Don’t lose touch with the basics
Your basics are everything in Maths. Even if you’re studying for JEE, you need to have a strong foundation of class 9 through class 12. Most chapters in Maths build on previous ones. If your foundation isn’t as strong as you’d like, then keep going back and practicing sums from select chapters in previous years. Always know your basics.

Use these tips and see your weak subject turn into your strength! It’s time to make friends with Maths, because that friendship is going to last a while.
About the Author:
jagran joshManish Kumar graduated from IIT Bombay in 2006 with a degree in Metallurgical and Materials Science. He then pursued masters in Materials Science Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. Post his graduation, he joined Indian School Finance Company, where he was part of the core team responsible for business strategies and growth. In 2013, he co-founded SEED Schools, a venture focused on improving quality of low-cost K-12 education in India with a vision to make quality education accessible. He is currently Vice President of Product – Learning & Pedagogy at Toppr.com.
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Vnaya Education Jan 12, 2022
Also Visit the blog section of Vnaya Education for tips and tricks to learn Maths
REPLY
yusufbugaikpe Nov 16, 2021
thank’s so much
REPLY
yusufbugaikpe Nov 16, 2021
wow!!! this is nice and good idea and it add more strength to me i was wishing to drop maths but with this am strong enough to pick my practice book and restart my mathematic practice agian thank u
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YugxrvNov 14, 2021
Cool
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Jianvi ShahAug 18, 2021
That Helped Me So Much Thanks
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