Help:Using Wikipedia for mathematics self-study: Difference between revisions

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Wikipedia provides one of the more prominent resources on the Web for factual information about contemporary mathematics, with over 20,000 articles on mathematical topics. It is natural that many readers use Wikipedia for the purpose of [[Autodidacticism|self-study]] in mathematics and its applications. Some readers will be simultaneously studying mathematics in a more formal way, while others will rely on Wikipedia alone. There are certain points that need to be kept in mind by anyone using Wikipedia for mathematical self-study, in order to make the best use of what is here, perhaps in conjunction with other resources.

==General points==

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* Wikipedia is organized as [[hypertext]], meaning that the information you require may not be on one page, but spread over many pages.

* In technical subjects, the material may also be technical: '''Wikipedia has no restriction on the depth of coverage.''' The lead section of each article is supposed to give a summary accessible to the [[WP:TECHNICAL|general reader]].

* Wikipedia is a work in progress. Some of our articles are highly polished, while others are in a rougher state. The Wikipedia model relies on volunteers to edit articles, and you are invited to help. All help is welcomed and greatly appreciated.

==Particular points==

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Remember that any source may contain errors, so do not put too much trust into a single account. Verify proofs and calculations yourself. Because anyone can edit Wikipedia, you can correct any errors you find; this can be a very powerful learning experience.

There are some mathematical concepts for which different authors use different definitions. For example, some authors count zero as a [[natural number]] while others do not. These differences can affect the way that mathematical theorems are stated. Therefore, double-check the definitions in each article to see whether they match those to which you are accustomed to.

==Ways to use Wikipedia==

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*Explore the [[:Category:Mathematics|category system]].

*The [[Portal:Mathematics|mathematics portal]] is a good "way in" to mathematics articles on Wikipedia.

If you are in doubt, ask at the [[Wikipedia:Reference desk/Mathematics|mathematics reference desk]]. No one on Wikipedia is going to [[Wikipedia:Do your own homework|do your math homework]] for you ..., but if you ask the right question they might point you to some information that will enable you to do it for yourself.

==Sister projects==