Please explain to a noobie what math is and how to understand that without going to a top-tier University for 5+ years axioms et al.
the definition of math is a philosophical topic. if you want to get into math, start at khan academy and work through the different lectures and exercises.
>>8144382
dye read sticky?
>>8144382
Mathematics (from Greek μάθημα máthēma, “knowledge, study, learning”) is the study of topics such as quantity (numbers),[2] structure,[3] space,[2] and change.
>>8144382
Math is the mental endeavor of making sense of everything that matters*
*the 'that matters' part is what casts the difference between math and philosophy. Explicitly, philosophy is about making sense about everything that does not matter at all.
>>8144403
That is such an old school definition.
From the 20th century onwards mathematics could simply be defined as the study of structure. That is all.
Numbers come from a structure. Space is a structure. Change is studied from and by using structures.
Set Theory made everything pretty simple m8.
Mental masturbation for manchildren who can't be satisfied by women.
>>8144382
Math is the study of patterns, and what rules can be applied to them.
>>8144382
http://4chan-science.wikia.com/wiki/Mathematics#Survey_of_Real_Mathematics
It basically sounds like math is very similar to architechture or coding.. Read sticky but didn't like the general explanation.
>>8144407
was good bait until
>set theory
>>8144447
For a big part of mathematics (and practically all of it, really) everything is a set.
Maybe in your high school they teach you that functions are numerical computations all over the real numbers but in reality it is simply a set.
Everything is a set so all you are doing in math is simply studying sets.