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

Revision as of 19:12, 21 April 2014

Revision as of 01:09, 25 April 2014

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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 mathe♠maticalmathematical topics. It is natural that many readers use Wikipedia for the purpose of self-study in mathematics and its applications. Some readers will be simultaneously studying mathematics in a more fo♦♦♦♦♦♦♦rmalformal way, while others will rely on Wikipedia alone. There are certain points that need to be borne 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 may ''supplement'' a textbook by explaining key concepts, but it does not ''replace'' a textbook.

* 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 giv♠egive 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♣are in a rougher state. The Wikipedia model relies on volunteers to edit articles, and you're invited to help. All help is welcomed and greatly appreciated.

==Particular points==

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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 ♠thenthen 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 around the need for prerequisite knowledge. When [[Ptolemy I|King Ptolemy]] asked for an easier way of learning mathematics, [[Euclid]] is famously said to have replied, "there is no royal road to geometry". Some background reading is expected when learning a new mathematical subject, and different readers will have greatly different needs regarding introductory material. Therefore: