A Mind for Numbers
By Barbara Oakley
How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra). The Penguin Group, 2014 .
Summary of A Mind for Numbers book by Barbara Oakley
A practical guide to simple, effective, and efficient strategies to re-wire your brain with learning techniques used by top students, to improve studying and retention of complex subjects.
Chapters in A Mind for Numbers book summary
What do you get from this book? Expert techniques to improve the way you learn math, science, or anything else
When you get better at learning, you enjoy the process and want to spend more time doing it
Stop cramming! You need alternating periods of focus and relaxed attention to process new information
Use chunks of information, practice, and recall to better grasp the meaning of what you’re studying
Repetition of chunked information increases your working memory and is essential for problem-solving and building intuition for new concepts
Memorization techniques and creative associations help solidify abstract concepts and improve understanding
Procrastination is a habit of avoiding discomfort – you can change it by creating cues and rewards for positive behaviors
Teach yourself – persistently learning on your own is the most potent way to improve retention and understanding
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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A Mind for Numbers — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read A Mind for Numbers book
- Anyone who hates math
- engineering students
- high school teachers
- people who want to learn something new
- homeschooling parents
About the author of A Mind for Numbers
Barbara Oakley
Dr. Barbara Oakley is a Professor of Engineering at McMaster University and Oakland University. She served as a Russian linguist and translator for the US Army before switching careers to the academic world. She has written for the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, as well as books including Learning How to Learn and Hair of the Dog.
Books similar to A Mind for Numbers
Related books that explore themes found in A Mind for Numbers
Ray Kurzweil
The Secret of Human Thought Revealed. Viking Press, 2012.
Jeffery M. Schwartz
The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life. Avery, 2011.
Charles Fishman
The Secret to a Bigger Life. Simon & Schuster, 2015.
Richard Dawkins
How We Know What’s Really True. Free Press, 2011.
Ian Stewart
17 Equations That Changed the World. Basic Books, 2012.
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