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(no subject)
Jun. 27th, 2019 08:49 amAs I learn math, It feels important to me to get a solid grasp of theory rather than just memorize rules. I see it as a language, and I want to be able to confidently read sentences instead of piecing out words, letter by letter, as I go. I guess I'm limited in that approach by a certain factor I don't have a name or description for: it's the ability to turn rote rules and explanations into a visual-intuitive concept.
When I last looked at Khan Academy, before a stretch of stressy days kept me away, I was working on internalizing how to create an equation for a function that describes another function with x and y offsets. It's straight forward enough to do by following the rules, but I didn't want to move on until I could look at related graphs with one equation and do the mental translation into a second equation just based on theoretical understanding.
I kept getting stuck on that bit of mathematical vocabulary, for quite a while. Today, I can almost speak it fluently. Yay! On to the next bit of metaphorical grammar.
When I last looked at Khan Academy, before a stretch of stressy days kept me away, I was working on internalizing how to create an equation for a function that describes another function with x and y offsets. It's straight forward enough to do by following the rules, but I didn't want to move on until I could look at related graphs with one equation and do the mental translation into a second equation just based on theoretical understanding.
I kept getting stuck on that bit of mathematical vocabulary, for quite a while. Today, I can almost speak it fluently. Yay! On to the next bit of metaphorical grammar.
(no subject)
May. 30th, 2019 09:35 amRight now, I kind of feel like my superpower is solving quadratic equations by completing the square. Except I'm still not super good at it. I still feel like I'm *mostly* covering stuff I already did in high school, but I feel like I'm learning a few new things, and lot of new approaches and conceptual underpinnings.
I'm almost done with the whole Algebra I course now; it took about a month. It's so much better working at my own pace than spending a whole semester doing busy-work.
I'm almost done with the whole Algebra I course now; it took about a month. It's so much better working at my own pace than spending a whole semester doing busy-work.
(no subject)
May. 24th, 2019 09:53 amI'm facing this quandary right now. I'm really excited right now about both continuing to learn and relearn math on Khan Academy, and about learning to do makeup and more fem hair styles on myself. Which topic do I devote time to?!
I'll probably only have enough patience and arm-strength to work on hair for so long at a time, so that may be self-limiting...
I'll probably only have enough patience and arm-strength to work on hair for so long at a time, so that may be self-limiting...
(no subject)
Apr. 15th, 2019 02:08 pmDoctor Luke (my work friend) said that someone pointed him at a book from 1971 called Modern Operational Circuit Design. I looked it up and it seemed like it might be helpful so I got it through our iShare program (ILL, but within a network).
In discussing operational amplifiers, the author wrote in a footnote: "A note of encouragement is offered to certain readers: integral calculus is one of the mathematical disciplines that operational circuitry exploits and, in the process, rather demolishes as a barrier to understanding."
I am amused that I am clearly one of those 'certain readers.' Regrettably, I'm not at a point where I want to try to figure out integral calculus right now. It's on my list to be sure; I just don't know if it's high enough on that list for me to ever actually get to...
In discussing operational amplifiers, the author wrote in a footnote: "A note of encouragement is offered to certain readers: integral calculus is one of the mathematical disciplines that operational circuitry exploits and, in the process, rather demolishes as a barrier to understanding."
I am amused that I am clearly one of those 'certain readers.' Regrettably, I'm not at a point where I want to try to figure out integral calculus right now. It's on my list to be sure; I just don't know if it's high enough on that list for me to ever actually get to...
(no subject)
Jul. 10th, 2018 08:53 amEvery time I think the word 'caliper' it comes out 'caterpillar' or 'capillary'. Perhaps I did not sleep enough last night? But it's inspired thoughts of a vernier caterpillar measurement system, using one caterpillar with ten sets of legs and one with nine sets and lining them up next to each other.
