How To Read Mathematics Books

It takes a special approach to read math not just pass your eyes over it.

How to read mathematics books.

As you read remember that math builds upon itself. When you are not concentrating on math you will get very little out of it and it will seem more difficult that it really is. The way you read a math textbook is different from the traditional way students are taught to read textbooks in high school or college. Students are taught to read quickly or skim the material.

This is an effective learning technique when you write down definitions theorems and explanations in your own words you are more likely to understand and remember them. You can t read a math book the way you read other books. If you do not understand a word you are supposed to keep on reading. The flow of a math book is not like the flow of a novel.

You may need as long as half an hour to get through one page but you will understand it when you re done. A math book requires a different type of reading than a novel or a short story. Miikka asked me how i read a maths textbook the other day and i didn t have a better answer than badly i ve mostly tried to read textbooks linearly cover to cover and this doesn t actually work i sometimes end up understanding the material but it s usually not until long after i ve finished or given up on the book. If you do not understand a word you are supposed to keep on reading.

Every sentence in a math book is full of information and logically linked to the surrounding sentences. You should read the sentences carefully and think about their meaning. A novel should be read fluently but math books cannot. Students are taught to read quickly or skim the material.

When reading a math book take notes as a way to translate the text into your own words.