I need a book that will help me to master all the concepts in math up until at least toronto's grade 11 math level by June. It's not a long way away, and I'm a slow learner. So what can I do to speed things up? Most concepts won't be new to me so that will help it along.
Also: I dropped out of this semester to study math and recover from an illness. It affects how long I can concentrate really well for - most of the time it's maximum four hours a day.
Before you take on the difficult task of undertaking a lengthy study of mathematics, you'll need to ask yourself why you are doing it. For instance, if you are interested in a career in the sciences, then the mathematics you will need to learn will be far more advanced than if you went into (for example) business management.
If indeed you are interested in studying mathematics beyond a year-11 level, then you'll need to direct your studies as necessary. Beginning with basic algebra and arithmetic (for example, learning what functions are, solving quadratic equations, doing basic statistics), you will need to move on to calculus, which is often introduced at the year-11 level.
More precisely, you will need to begin studying algebra and trigonometry in good detail. I will recommend the textbooks written by James Stewart, as I find them extremely comprehensive, and also quite challenging, which I believe is a great trait in a textbook for a student who is willing to learn mathematics. Stewart's Algebra & Trigonometry is great for an introduction to trigonometry and algebra, and for a more advanced approach, try Stewart's Pre-Calculus, which contains everything you need to learn before you begin a study in calculus.
If, perchance, you master these techniques, many of which you may already be familiar, and are confident enough to begin a course in calculus, I direct you to this post.
If you try your best to like math, and you don't like it. You are just learning math the wrong way. The same goes for any subject.
What is although true, is that liking a subject means you've found the best learning method for that subject.
If you have found the best learning method for the subject, for yourself; and yet you are shitty at the subject, the subject is not for you.
I used to hate math and I did bad at it, but now I like math and I'm one of the top students in my class for advanced placement advanced functions even though I'm in gr 11.
The reason I started liking math is because I started to try and understand every single concept I worked with, rather than remember the process of solving a problem. Because I understood the problem, just like I understand that I will fall back down when I jump, I was able to work with problems without a formula.
Math works in a way where you have to break it down to its fundamental level to be truly good at it. I know a lot of people in my class who are only "good" at math because they can memorise well, and the only reason they like it is because of the marks and grades which is stupid.
The best step before learning math, is to figure out what is the best way to learn math that makes you enjoy it.
Another key factor is get the school textbook that the math teacher hands out to his/her students. The teacher will DEFINITELY use questions and concepts from the school textbook on examinations.
Since your concentration is low, you will want to do textbook questions that are relevant to what is being taught, so I'd recommend asking your teacher for a syllabus a.k.a what is for homework for all the math units that they teach in class, and doing those questions.
If your teacher has shit to say about taking home a textbook, then deposit a fee amounting to the cost of the textbook at the school, and collect the cheque once you give back the textbook.
