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Recently I've been trying to catch up in math, with a goal of trying to get to calculus as soon as possible. (I want to study Data Science, and calculus / linear algebra seems to be necessary for that kind of study.) I found someone on LW who agreed to provide me with some deadlines, minor incentives, and help if I need it (similar to this proposal), although I'm not sure how well such a setup will end up working.
Originally the plan was that I'd study the Art of Problem Solving Intermediate Algebra book, but I found that many of the concepts were a little advanced for me, so I switched to the middle of the Introduction to Algebra book instead.
The Art of Problem Solving books deliberately make you think a lot, and a lot of the problems are quite difficult. That's great, but I've found that after 2-3 hours of heavy thinking my brain often feels completely shot and that ruins my studying for the rest of the day. It also doesn't help that my available study time usually runs from about 10am-2pm, but I often only start to really wake up around noon. (Yes, I get enough sleep usually. I also use a light box. But I still often only wake up around noon.)
One solution I've been thinking of would be to take the studying slower: I'd study math only from 12-2, and before that I'd study something else, like programming. The only problem with that is that cutting my study time in half means it'll take twice as long to get through the material. At that rate I estimate it'll take approximately a year, perhaps a bit more, before I can even start Calculus. Maybe that's what's needed, but I was hoping to get on with studying data science sooner than that.
Another possible solution would be to try an easier course of study than the AoPS books. I've had some good experiences with MOOCs, so perhaps that might be a good route to take. To that end I've tentatively signed up to this math refresher course, although I don't really know anything about it. Or perhaps I could just CliffNotes my way through Algebra II and Precalculus, and then take a Calculus MOOC. I wouldn't get the material nearly as well, of course, but at least I'd be able to get to Calculus and move on with my data science studies from there. I could even do one of these alternatives while also doing the AoPS books at a slower pace. That way I could get to data science studying as soon as possible, and I'd also eventually get a more thorough familiarity with the material through the AoPS books.
What would you suggest?
Be very very careful of studying beyond the level you think is comfortable. My experience has been that you cannot push yourself to learn difficult things, especially math, faster than a certain pace. Sure, your limit may be 20% higher than what you think it is, but it's not 200% higher. Spending more time on a task when you just don't feel up to it is useless, because instead of thinking you'll just be spending more time staring at the page and having your mind drift off.
I've found that the various methods of 'productivity boosting' (pomodoros, etc) are l... (read more)