Since it has come up so much recently, I have decided to attempt to explain math in a way closer to how I think it were taught. I am going to try to emphasize the interconnectedness of the concepts and the almost organic way math grows from simple ideas to more complicated ones. In doing so, it is my hope that math not only makes more sense, but also that you come to find some beauty in its intricate, interlocking logic.
My intended audience is not the mathematical novice, but rather the person who, while having been exposed to math, finds it unintuitive and unappealing. My reason for this is simple, while I wish math were taught more like this, I do not feel confident enough to want to be someone's first experience in math. I think that elementary mathematics educators are dealt a bad hand, both having their love of math stifled by the dull methods that they were taught and being trained to teach in the same vein, but it is a testament to their care for their students that any of us take our first tentative steps in the realm of mathematics.
Because my thesis is that math makes more sense when approached from a holistic, interconnected point of view, I advise against skipping posts. Although you may be both familiar and comfortable with the very fundamentals, I may have a new perspective on what is occurring that ties in with later concepts. I do heartily appreciate feedback on what is insufficiently clear, or any other subject, and will endeavor to make revisions incorporating said feedback.
Let us wish each other good luck on our journey!
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