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

Revision as of 03:57, 27 July 2010

Revision as of 04:03, 27 July 2010

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==Particular points==

Studying mathematics from a reference source is not ideal. Unless you consult Wikipedia to answer a specific question, it is not reasonable to expect ''instant results''.

Mathematics textbooks are conventionally built up carefully one chapter at a time, explaining what mathematicians would call the ''prerequisites'' before moving to a new topic. For example, you may think you can study Chapter 10 of a book before Chapter 9, but reading a few pages may then show you that you are wrong. Because Wikipedia's pages are not ordered in the same way, it may be less clear ''what'' the prerequisites are, and ''where'' to find them, if you are struggling with a new concept.

There is no quick way round the need for prerequisite knowledge,. asWhen [[Euclid]] is said to have replied to [[Ptolemy I|King Ptolemy's]] requestasked for an easier way of learning mathematics, [[Euclid]] is famously said to have replied, "there is no Royalroyal Roadroad to geometry". BeSome preparedbackground forreading ais fewexpected moveswhen tolearning geta roundnew suchmathematical blockssubject, by getting more context. Whatand different readers needwill byhave waygreatly ofdifferent introductionneeds willregarding differintroductory widelymaterial. Therefore:

* Be prepared to look at related pages to establish context;

*follow Follow wikilinks to pages onfor unfamiliar terms, to orient yourself;

*look atTo find additional related pagestopics, eitherlook under the "See also" sectionheader or usinguse the article's categories listed at the bottom.

==Absences from the encyclopedia==