Learning Basic Mathematics

Question

I'm going to just come out and say it. I'm 20 and can't do maths.

Two years ago I passed the end-of-high-school mathematics exam (but not at school), and did pretty well. Since then, I haven't done a scrap of mathematics.

I wondered just how bad I had gotten, so I was looking at some simple algebra problems. You know, the kind you learn halfway through highschool.

5(-3x - 2) - (x - 3) = -4(4x + 5) + 13

Couldn't do them.

I've got half a year left until I start a Computer Science undergraduate degree. I love designing and creating programs, and I remember I loved mathematics back when I did it.

Basically, I've had a pretty bad education, but I want to be knowledgable in these areas.

I was thinking of buying some high school textbooks and reading them, but I'm not sure this is the right way to go.

I need to start off at some basic level and work towards a greater understanding.

My question is: What should I study, how should I study, and what books can you recommend?

Thanks!

Edit: I posted this question looking for answers along the lines of, you should read XXX books first, then these ones, then this. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Answer 1

That depends on how independent you are, but it seems as if you need some support. If I were you, I'd redo the high school courses. Maybe you could pay someone to tutor you?

Answer 2

Take some zero-level courses at your college for math. This basically teaches you high school maths over again, but it doesn't count toward your credits or anything so of course only take them if needed.

Answer 3

You don't say where you are but from your language/phraseology you could be American, in which case this might not be too useful.

Here in the UK there are a number of educational milestones, particularly in Maths, that run up to GCSE level (age 16). In many of the book chains and Amazon you can get revision books that cover the syllabus up to each of the levels. I have been/am going through these with my daughters and am using some of these to try to reinforce their maths knowledge.

Examples of the sort of thing that I mean are here and here