Have any of you actually, unironically, read entire textbooks?

>>8505598
i just dont read them back to back desu
read most important chapters, and skip stuff im not interested in

>>8505606
I would do that, but I don't like the feeling that I'll miss out on something and have gaps in my knowledge. I'm a bit autistically obsessive.

>>8505598
philosophy textbooks if those count

I don't get why you'd read a math text through and through though

>>8505598
I read math textbooks cover to cover and do all the exercises that answers are given for. I take notes in a separate notebook as I read, with particular detail given to proofs, theorems, and definitions. So far I average a few months per textbook, but that is decreasing as I'm becoming more focused and efficient in my study habits.

Does it become hard to stay motivated? Yes. But you eventually learn to just grind at it. What works for me is reminding myself this:

>even if I don't feel like doing it, I am still able to do it.

>>8505631
It is difficult to stay motivated when you begin to question your motives. When you realize how much of a time investment it is to study math on your own, "why am I doing this?" is a very valid question. It's hard to find faith in the idea that I will discover the "true beauty of mathematics" eventually, while I am grinding away at the boring parts of a textbook.

>>8505643
Well, it helps to have a concrete reason for picking up a book on a particular subject. My reason is usually

>Want to learn (subject)
>To understand (subject) you must know/use (prerequisite subject)

Also, slightly off topic but shit like
>beauty of mathematics
Is as bad as "I fucking love science!"

>>8505643
What texts are you reading/at what level? I've read a lot of upper level books cover to cover and usually find them fascinating... The first 100 pages of most books, even advanced graduate books, are usually the easiest parts, setting up basic principles. You have to learn to love all of the hard, technical stuff in the middle, too. I think a common problem amongst math majors is they think the easy conceptual stuff is "beautiful" and the technical detail of stuff is "ugly." You wont get far in any field with that attitude. Also, Don't focus on too many books at once. That' a big one.

>>8505598
You need some Asperger's syndrome, that'll help, OP.

Why would you ironically read an entire textbook?

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>>8505598

t. Serge Lang

Not really. To me, it's the least efficient way to learn a subject. I like to take classes, then do as many problems as possible from the book, but I have real difficulties learning from a textbook.
I like people to explain things to me. Even if the exposition is bad, I still feel like I understand it better than if I read a book on the subject.

>>8505610
Well, you're doing the same thing if you leave an unfinished text book.

In highsho I would read my Dad's Orgo textbook and take notes on everything. I forgot a lot of stuff by the time I actually took Orgo I but the stuff I remembered was super helpful

>>8505657
>Also, slightly off topic but shit like
>>beauty of mathematics
>Is as bad as "I fucking love science!"
There's nothing wrong with both statements.

I assume you're talking about pop-sci communities like IFLS, and I agree they can be annoying. But the whole point of studying mathematics (and science) is the beauty of it, and you don't have to only refer to basic decimal tricks or Euler's formula to say you love math.

>>8505631
>I take notes in a separate notebook as I read, with particular detail given to proofs, theorems, and definitions.
Recently I have stopped doing this and it started increasing my time studying and doing exercises.

>>8505643
Don't know what floats your boat but the first math I actually found beautifull was algorithms. Also if you don't feel like reading a book till the end, do some discrete math. It absolutely doesn't matter where you start and where you stop.

>>8505598
Just look stuff up on Wikipedia desu.

The material is harder, but it's more accurate, since Wikipedia doesn't do that stupid bullshit textbooks do where they give you an oversimplified version of the truth at the beginning and then break it down and gradually reveal the lies. Enthusiasts like ourselves want to learn, not be taught. I don't like being taught lies that approximate truth just because someone out there thinks I'm not smart enough yet. Plus, if you have any questions about the contents of a Wikipedia page, you know who you can consult? Wikipedia. Everything's conveniently cross referenced so you don't even have to know anything about the subject to learn it, you just have to be willing to dig a rather complex and arduous network of tunnels.

>>8507379
wait how the fuck did that come out as "desu"

tfw you swipe "desu" and your phone gives you "desu"

what the fuck??

>>8507382
oh.

oh i get it.

it's a board-wide joke

god dammit

>>8507379
Yeah but you get no exercises on wikipedia though

>>8507370
Ya but 5 years down the line if I would like to look back on my notes wouldn't you?

>>8505598

Finish one. Take notes on why you want to give up, then find a reason to do it anyway. I had the same problem but then I decided to get real methodical on myself and even though it took about a month to finish the relatively easy textbook I can now say I completed it which made it easier to start a new one learning from mistakes and improving slowly and in small steps. My biggest problem was that I would get v bored by content bc v ez (relearning high school algebra but have bkgrd in logic) so one of the ways I would make it more interesting was to do all examples not just all problems nd come up with my own examples and prove unimportant "mini" theorems along the way just to get the hang of it and make it more interesting. Realized proving easy tauts is great practice to get gist for proving "hard" ones.

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>>8505598
Don't you just think to yourself "Welp, life is hard, isn't it?" and finish the book?

>>8507446
Not him, but I figure I would just go back to the textbook if I needed to recall something. Unless you're just talking about the nostalgia aspect of it.

>>8507375
Legit advice here

>>8507387
>Being this retarded.
Text books are overpriced exercise booklets. The material you learn from wikipedia is just as valid as the material in a textbook.

>>8505598
If you look at any college course, no one ever uses the whole textbook. Why? Because its meant to be used for huge variety of different courses at different points in time in your academic level and for various different majors. Rather than slogging through a book whole sale, identify key points that interest you most in a book. Read, learn and understand them, and if a branch of inquiry comes along follow that thread to a new book. If you find you need some prerequisite information go back to that chapter to learn that information. That way you have a short term goal to fulfill your system. "I need to read this basic chapter, to understand this more complex material I want to read about."

>>8505598

Get yourself a slightly dumber study partner so that you can berate them for slacking off and feel good about how much better you are than them, and then you'll be fine. They'll benefit from it as well, so there's no need to feel bad about exploiting them, and the desire to maintain your image of "cool senpai", if nothing else, will nourish you in your darkest hours.

t. I miss my idiot

>>8507791
What kind of relationship did you two have in bed?

>>8507588
Not the anon you replied to, but:

Whenever I need a refresher on something I read in a past textbook, I reference my notes. That's why I take them: I pick out all the salient information and organize it in a way I like, allowing me to quickly reference it without needing to flip through the textbook.

>>8507791
That sounds like a rather toxic relationship to have once it eventually comes out that your relationship with your idiot has reversed, and you become the idiot.

>>8505598
Read front-to-back.

Don't listen to the kikes saying that's it's okay to skip around. They are trying to limit your ability to reach your full potential.

This is the only correct way.

>>8507487
terrence tao is 25 years old in that pic tho

>>8507386
>>8507382
>>8507379
I want newfags >>>/out/

>>8505610

literally kys

>>8505606
>Stuff im not interested in
>Letting emotions control your progress
Read what you deem worthy, not what you *feel* like. Unless you are a theoretical scientist, then I tip my hat for you good sir.

>>8506055
Are the answers to Basic Mathematics' questions available somewhere?

>>8508958
deep down in your soul anon