How do I learn Calculus at age 42? Ideas?

[Shintaro]

Hi,
So my youth was not the best, I went to high school for 3 years, but was not really there. And now I totally regret not learning Calculus. Back in 1997 I had to choose a degree that didn't have maths. Because I suck at it.
I always wanted to do electronic engineering. I did some TAFE (equiv. community college..maybe?, for our US friends) electronics courses back in 1992, which was great, but again as soon as I hit Calculus I was stuffed.

So now I am thinking how do I fix that? Is there anyone here that has found a way to learn Calculus, as a mature age student? Books? Online courses??

I have work shifts that prevent me from attending a course at any institution.

Any ideas? Thoughts?

[Gunther]

So now I am thinking how do I fix that? Is there anyone here that has found a way to learn Calculus, as a mature age student? Books? Online courses??

Check out that: http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm. There's much more, not only Calculus.

Gunther

[dedndave]

first of all, 42 is young   :P
i wish i was 42 again - lol
i was still kickin' ass and takin' names

second - calculus is not as hard as you might think
"oooooooo - calculus"   :icon_eek:
get past that part - it will only serve as a mental block

finally, there are many math wesites - i think math.org is one
start with derivitaves - a very simple concept
then learn about "limits" - also fairly simple
then, you have the tools to move on to integrals and differentiation
...and you will have found your way around the sites

[jcfuller]

Khan Academy is supposed (?) to be the  standard that everyone is tries to emulate
http://www.khanacademy.org/

James

[FORTRANS]

Hi,

   "The Cartoon Guide to Calculus", by Larry Gonick,
2012, ISBN 978-0-06-168909-3.  I just got a copy,
and it is a good introduction to Calculus.  Of course
I had Calculus back in the day.  But I would recommend
it over most books I have seen for a beginner.

   The Great Courses, www.TheGreatCourses.com,
have DVD or CD audio lectures on various subjects.
Calculus is one subject they cover, though I have not
seen those.  These are generally on the easy side, but
your local library may have a copy.  I would recomend
this as a supplement to other material based on the
ones I have seen.  But probably not as a primary
resource.

Regards,

Steve N.

[jcfuller]

Khan Academy is supposed (?) to be the  standard that everyone  tries to emulate.
http://www.khanacademy.org/

James

[xanatose]

Seek the book: Calculus for dummies

Both the book and the workbook.

[cman]

Xanatose is correct in his recommendation. The "Dummies" book series is actually very good. I've read a few of these ( logic  , differential equations , quantum physics ) and I seemed to learn more than I did from taking the courses in college ( I was partying a lot back then though  ) .  I'd definitely give the series a look ( your local public library usually have these to borrow  ( in the U.S. ) ).

[clive]

From what I gather the US Math Curriculum runs about 4 years behind that in the UK, and a lot don't even do calculus. I know I was doing trigs/logs at 11 using little books of tables, and that was a precursor to everyone doing basic differential/integral stuff at secondary school, with some of the high flyers to college level stuff before finishing.

At the college level, the standard text was Engineering Mathematics by K Stroud, I also remember Schaum's Calculus books.

At 42 you've probably got more maturity and a broader understanding how things work and relate to each other. The Dummies series would probably work, but also look at what the standard texts are being used in High School. See if there are any community college classes available, a teacher might be able to work with you in a more interactive way and probe the areas the give you the most difficultly, and get you to a eureka moment where things start to make sense. Even if you can't go to courses, may be try and connect with the teachers at an open-house.

Fish around on Amazon for cheap used math texts for high school/college level, pick up a couple and see if any suit your learning style. Books can be a bit dry, but would permit you to work at you own pace, or skim through and work on problems in your free time.

[K_F]

"Dummies" - DON'T call me a dummie 

I've looked at these books (out of curiosity), and they're are good - that I can say.
I would advise getting a book, than using online as you main source of info.
Having a book means that you can focus on the content without distractions, which is very important in understanding the basic concepts.
Besides.. you don't require any power source to read the stuff... Books nowdays are too often underestimated.

If you don't understand it first time round, don't despair.. read it again.. and again - It'll all come together in a 'flash'
I sometime read the same book 3x to finally 'work it out' - Sometimes it takes some manual grinding, but you have to persevere.
 :t

[npnw]

Dave,

When you were 42, isn't that when Pascal was writing Calculus :)  I think I saw your name referenced in the intro.... "I would like to thank dedndave for his astounding ideas, help and dedication writing this manuscript .  I would like people to read dedndave's post on masmforum to really learn how the world works. "

Your humor kills me!  I hate to tell you this, but your still kicking ass bud!

Clive,  our math skills are more like 14 yrs behind the UK.  We don't teach math well over here. Of course we have TA's in college teaching it. Its usually based on go over it and over it multiple times they will figure it out. They don't seem to have a overall strategy for teaching it. At least not nowadays.

Aparsons, after reading some books and doing the examples... you can always see about taking an online course to finally get that EE degree.  Best of luck.

[P1]

So now I am thinking how do I fix that? Is there anyone here that has found a way to learn Calculus, as a mature age student? Books? Online courses??

Please do not look at learning as a young mind endeavor.

Most of us here, interface with the Computer World at some point and level.

Hardware changes, Software changes and Expectations changes.  We are all learning to keep up.   Most of us have crossed trained/learned out of our normal areas of expertise.

The point I am making, do not look at the Calculus, look at the Goal.  And calculus is just a bridge crossing to get you there.

Besides, bridge building is a valuable tool, no matter who you are.

Regards,  P1   8)

[Farabi]

Same background here, I never went to school back then, school was hell for me, and I never love math. But then, Im studied it, it is hard at first, but after you get the logic, it is easy to handle.

[tenkey]

I learned calculus in both the traditional limits and the alternate method used in Calculus for the Practical Man.

[hfheatherfox07]

I took calculus  both in high school and college .... Forgot most of it LOL if not all of it ....I did love it and aced it Back than....

http://www.math.byu.edu/~smithw/Calculus/

My suggestion is to go to your local college  or university and sign up for an online course  through them ...I did post a link above that is an online document, but with just that you have no teacher to answer questions and no test to see if you learned any thing ....
Also at 42 you might qualify for some government subsidy for doing so especially with the economy state....
That is the best route, I know where I am in Canada that is offered ..... although the searches are not  "calculus"
It is more like this http://coned.georgebrown.ca/     (Type "math" in the "Specific Course Code or Title")

That is your best bet to actually learn it and have proof of it for an actual job! .....
Mmmmm Derivative function  :lol: