Math Forum Discussions

Lucy Audley

Posts: 1
From: UK
Registered: 8/31/07

Help! I'm trying to teach myself and I can't find a good book to learn!
Posted: Aug 31, 2007 2:11 PM

Plain Text

Hi there folks,

I'm trying to go back to college at the ripe old age of 29. I want to study science at degree level, but I was daunted because I've always been a bit afraid of maths. So I decided to spend an hour a day after work improving my mathematical skills.

I thought it would be really unrewarding, hard work but, to my surprise, I'm actually really enjoying it! Now I'm older I can see how people get intrigued and fascinated by numbers! The only problem I am having is finding a good text book which enables me to learn by myself. At the moment I'm trying to use Bostock and Chandler's 'Core Maths. It's full of exercises (great!! :) ) but contains very little explanation of the methods you use to solve a particular puzzle. When answers are given, there's no working shown, so you can't see how to get from the problem to the solution. It seems designed to be used in a classroom, where teachers are available to expand on a particular concept. I'm finding it very difficult indeed to work the methods out for myself, and I'm being forced to puzzle them out very slowly, by looking at the solutions and trying to work out how the answer is derived. It's a bit slow and frustrating!

Can anyone recommend a book which leads me through A-level maths (or equivalent) in a more friendly, step-by-step manner... with some WORDS to explain concepts as I go, and maybe some working out too?

Thanks ever so much
Lucy xxx