No Bullshit Guide to Mathematics

Math is a powerful tool for modelling the world around us. Mathematical methods are the foundation of science, engineering, design, and many other fields. Unfortunately, many people feel uncomfortable with math and try to avoid it.

This book provides a concise introduction to the fundamental ideas of math and highlights the connections between topics. The conversational tone of the writing will help readers overcome their and connect with the subject. Each section in this book is a short tutorial that covers one math topic with clear definitions, illustrative examples and concise explanations.

The exercises and problem sets will help readers practice what they've learned. This book is an efficient way for adults to (re)discover fundamental math ideas and for students to prepare for university-level courses. Math modelling skills are accessible to all readers, regardless of their mathematical background.

Table of contents

• Preface
• Introduction
• 1. Numbers, variables, and equations
• 2. Algebra
• 3. Exponents and logarithms
• 4. Coordinate systems
• 5. Functions
• 6. Geometry
• 7. Vectors
• 8. Extra topics (linear equations, compound interest, set notation)
• 9 Practice problems
• A. Answers and solutions
• B. Notation
• C. SymPy tutorial (also available as free download here)
  

"My daughter loves her book , it helps her understand math and physics at a whole new level." — Betsy, parent

"I found it to be really great and the explanations were solid and easy to understand. I would recommend this book to anyone who does not feel confident in their math skills or wants to brush up." — James, student

"Outstanding! I purchased this title in order to get back up to speed in these subjects with the objective of being adequately prepared to help my children with homework as they move through high school. I must say that I would have killed to have this text when I was 15. The author is a genius and an excellent tutor. [...] The text provides some of the clearest, most concise explanations I have ever seen and links all of the concepts together." — Matt, parent

FAQs:

Q1: What is the difference between this book and the more expensive No Bullshit Guide to Math and Physics?

A1: The Math & Physics book includes all the material from this book as well as chapters on mechanics (motion, forces, energy, etc.) and calculus (limits, derivatives, integrals, etc.). If you're also interested in learning these more advanced topics, you should get the big book instead of this one. It is highly praised and recommended among science and engineering students.

More info:

• Book preview (94 pages, PDF)
• Download a free PDF with all the concept maps from the book here.
• Print versions of the book available from LULU and AMAZON.
• The book is also available in French. See nobsmath.com/fr/ for more info.