Maths Book Recommen...
 

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[Closed] Maths Book Recommendations

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Any recommended good maths books out there that meet the following criteria:-

1. Covers general maths ie algebra, geometry, trig etc.

2. Goes from the basics up to say O-Level standard or beyond.

3. Easy to read.

4. Contains puzzles and answers.

It's for me, not a child. And I'm not planning sitting any exams, just fancy revisiting maths. Never really full appreciated it when I was at school. And something to keep my brain active as I get on a bit. Ta.


 
Posted : 18/12/2020 6:06 pm
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Can I recommend “Figuring -The joy of numbers” by Shanktula Devi as it was that book that led me to a degree in maths. Don’t even know if it is still in print. It’s not quite what you are after but is a great book for inspiring exploration into maths.


 
Posted : 18/12/2020 6:09 pm
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Do you know anyone that works in a school, or are you still in touch with your old one?

The syllabus changes from time to time and the school has to replace all the textbooks. My maths teacher used to hang on to the old ones and gave me a complete set when I was struggling with pure maths at university.

Hundreds of them in a box under his desk. Failing that, eBay.


 
Posted : 18/12/2020 7:30 pm
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Symbolab.com

Pay the tenner for premium, got me through 2 years of uni maths!

Khan academy is very good too.


 
Posted : 18/12/2020 7:33 pm
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Open Learn on the Open University - tons of free courses.


 
Posted : 18/12/2020 7:33 pm
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Do you know anyone that works in a school, or are you still in touch with your old one?

It was that one ago there have probably been some new numbers invented since then!!

Thanks for all the other tips though. I've just checked the OU and the Intro to Algebra looks good. Will check out the others too.


 
Posted : 18/12/2020 9:21 pm
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Another vote for check out Khan Academy


 
Posted : 18/12/2020 9:31 pm
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Thanks for all the other tips though.

I was only trying to help.


 
Posted : 18/12/2020 9:56 pm
 poly
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Personally unless you actually want to pass an exam I'd steer away from the text books - they are pretty dull. Much more enjoyable to read something like:

Joy Of X https://amzn.to/2KhrEJW (or Infinite Powers by the same author - but just for Calculus)... or
Things to make and do in the 4th dimension: https://amzn.to/3raACta

actually if you would rather watch than read then Matt Parker's standup maths channel on youtube is pretty good and has an associated puzzle website etc. If you like that then Numberphile is the obvious follow on, although it has quite an array of topics and presenters and some are better than others.


 
Posted : 19/12/2020 9:58 am
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Thanks for that poly. Some really interesting looking stuff there. And with us heading back into full lockdown I've plenty time to check it out.


 
Posted : 19/12/2020 8:16 pm
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Measurement, Paul Lockhart.
No answers in the back though. Will make you think, and appreciate.


 
Posted : 19/12/2020 8:38 pm
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This isn't quite what you asked for, but it's one of the best books I've ever read, and you might enjoy it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gödel,_Escher,_Bach


 
Posted : 19/12/2020 10:50 pm
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'book'marked!


 
Posted : 20/12/2020 8:27 am
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It was that one ago there have probably been some new numbers invented since then!!

To get you up to speed.... 1 isn't a prime number anymore.


 
Posted : 20/12/2020 9:40 am
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Keith Devlin - introduction to mathematical thinking.

by the way, + for the OU courses, and FutureLearn. Some good stuff on there.


 
Posted : 20/12/2020 10:33 am
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1 isn’t a prime number anymore

That seems really unfair. From now on I will consider 1 to be an optimus prime number.


 
Posted : 20/12/2020 10:36 am
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Thinking about 1 not being prime got me searching, and I found an interesting article:

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/roots-of-unity/why-isnt-1-a-prime-number/


 
Posted : 20/12/2020 10:41 am

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