Over the past year and a half, I’ve been teaching myself basic math in between grad school assignments. About a month and a half ago, I began trigonometry for the first time in 20 years. The whole trig section spanned three chapters, basic trig, trigonometric analysis, and applications in trigonometry. Tonight, I finally finished applications by deciphering simple and dampened harmonic motion.
It was pretty tough going, because I don’t like trig nearly as much as I like algebra. Still, I think it helped me develop my algebra chops, and I know I’ll be seeing it again once I hit calculus. Also, it’s cool knowing what latitude and longitude really are, and how surveying works. Anyway, the pain period is temporarily over!! A few more chapters in algebra and I’ll be ready for calc.
but I’m not a nerd . . .
You, sir, are definitely not a nerd. I have always wanted to teach myself something that complicated and just never got around to it. I sit here literally in awe.
Oh, I got it! I got through basic algebra before I started basic trig. Thanks for the compliment.
And thank you, DoperChic. You know, though, it’s really not that bad once you start studying it on your own. I pulled straight C’s all the way through high school math, and only got a B- in college calc because I promised the prof I wouldn’t bug him with dumb questions, even during office hours.
Once I bought the book and sat down with it, though, it all became clear. Some things can’t be taught as easily as others, I guess.
One thing I never realized about math, though: It’s addictive. Between that and this MB, my wife is starting to wonder–although she can take comfort in the fact that I put way to much effort into this stuff to ever have the time to sleep around . . .