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Learning Math (Mega Man vs. Tetris)

November 21st, 2016|

Math Proofs vs. Explanations (aka Nutrition vs. Taste)

November 1st, 2016|

Math Learning Tip: Find An Idea’s True Name

September 30th, 2016|

A Programmer’s Intuition for Matrix Multiplication

September 14th, 2016|

The Math Inside the US Highway System

August 11th, 2016|

Quick Insight: Easier Arithmetic With Calculus

July 28th, 2016|

Empathy-Driven Mathematics

July 8th, 2016|

Abstraction Practice: Calculus Graphs

June 22nd, 2016|

Learning to Learn: Math Abstraction

May 28th, 2016|

Analogy: The Calculus Camera

May 17th, 2016|

Different Interpretations for the Number Zero

April 21st, 2016|

Easy Trig Identities With Euler’s Formula

November 4th, 2015|

Trig identities are notoriously difficult to memorize: here’s how to learn them without losing your mind.

Vector Calculus: Understanding the Cross Product

April 15th, 2015|

Intuition For The Law Of Cosines

November 13th, 2014|

Intuition For The Law Of Sines

October 21st, 2014|

Learning math? Think like a cartoonist.

July 24th, 2014|

What’s the essential skill of a cartoonist? Drawing ability? Humor? A deep well of childhood trauma? I’d say it’s an eye for simplification, capturing the essence of an idea.

How To Think With Exponents And Logarithms

June 16th, 2014|

Understand Ratios with “Oomph” and “Often”

April 14th, 2014|

How To Learn Trigonometry Intuitively

February 24th, 2014|

Go beyond SOH-CAH-TOA and visualize trig.

A Quick Intuition For Parametric Equations

January 15th, 2014|

BetterExplained Calculus Course Now Available (Public Beta)

November 25th, 2013|

It’s Time For An Intuition-First Calculus Course

July 26th, 2013|

**Summary:** I'm building a calculus course from the ground-up focused on *permanent intuition*, not the cram-test-forget cycle we've come to expect. Interested? Sign up for the [mailing list](/articles/betterexplained-email-list/) to get news about the pilot, launching early August. The learning principles below will guide its development.

An Intuitive Introduction To Limits

April 15th, 2013|

Understanding Bayes Theorem With Ratios

March 1st, 2013|

An Interactive Guide To The Fourier Transform

December 19th, 2012|

An Intuitive Guide to Linear Algebra

October 9th, 2012|

Math As Language: Understanding the Equals Sign

September 24th, 2012|

Why Do We Learn Math?

September 14th, 2012|

A Brief Introduction to Probability & Statistics

September 5th, 2012|

Understanding Algebra: Why do we factor equations?

August 30th, 2012|

How To Understand Derivatives: The Quotient Rule, Exponents, and Logarithms

June 12th, 2012|

How To Understand Derivatives: The Product, Power & Chain Rules

May 11th, 2012|

Calculus: Building Intuition for the Derivative

March 29th, 2012|

Vector Calculus: Understanding the Dot Product

February 22nd, 2012|

Using Logarithms in the Real World

January 30th, 2012|

Understanding Pythagorean Distance and the Gradient

November 4th, 2011|

Understanding Why Complex Multiplication Works

August 3rd, 2011|

Intuitive Understanding of Sine Waves

April 17th, 2011|

Understanding Calculus With A Bank Account Metaphor

March 16th, 2011|

Understanding Why Similarity Works

February 1st, 2011|

Surprising Patterns in the Square Numbers (1, 4, 9, 16…)

October 15th, 2010|

Intuitive Understanding Of Euler’s Formula

July 19th, 2010|

Fun With Modular Arithmetic

February 1st, 2010|

A Friendly Chat About Whether 0.999… = 1

November 18th, 2009|

Why Do We Need Limits and Infinitesimals?

November 12th, 2009|

A BetterExplained Guide To Calculus

November 8th, 2009|

Navigate a Grid Using Combinations And Permutations

October 20th, 2009|

Understanding the Monty Hall Problem

September 4th, 2009|

A Calculus Analogy: Integrals as Multiplication

July 15th, 2009|

Learning How to Count (Avoiding The Fencepost Problem)

April 28th, 2009|

Understanding Exponents (Why does 0^0 = 1?)

February 17th, 2009|

Developing Your Intuition For Math

January 8th, 2009|

Learning Calculus: Overcoming Our Artificial Need for Precision

August 21st, 2008|

Intuitive Guide to Angles, Degrees and Radians

July 9th, 2008|

Prehistoric Calculus: Discovering Pi

May 29th, 2008|

A Gentle Introduction To Learning Calculus

May 2nd, 2008|

How To Analyze Data Using the Average

March 14th, 2008|

How To Understand Combinations Using Multiplication

February 25th, 2008|

Rescaling the Pythagorean Theorem

February 16th, 2008|

How to Develop a Sense of Scale

January 30th, 2008|

A Visual Guide to Simple, Compound and Continuous Interest Rates

January 13th, 2008|

Intuitive Arithmetic With Complex Numbers

January 2nd, 2008|

A Visual, Intuitive Guide to Imaginary Numbers

December 21st, 2007|

Rethinking Arithmetic: A Visual Guide

December 13th, 2007|

A Quirky Introduction To Number Systems

December 7th, 2007|

How to Develop a Mindset for Math

November 26th, 2007|

How To Measure Any Distance With The Pythagorean Theorem

November 5th, 2007|

Surprising Uses of the Pythagorean Theorem

October 24th, 2007|

Another Look at Prime Numbers

September 9th, 2007|

Demystifying the Natural Logarithm (ln)

May 20th, 2007|

An Intuitive (and Short) Explanation of Bayes’ Theorem

May 6th, 2007|

An Intuitive Guide To Exponential Functions & e

May 1st, 2007|

Understanding the Birthday Paradox

April 26th, 2007|

Vector Calculus: Understanding Circulation and Curl

February 19th, 2007|

Vector Calculus: Understanding the Gradient

February 17th, 2007|

Techniques for Adding the Numbers 1 to 100

February 13th, 2007|

Easy Permutations and Combinations

February 11th, 2007|

The Rule of 72

January 25th, 2007|

Mental Math Shortcuts

January 22nd, 2007|

Types of Graphs

December 31st, 2006|

Vector Calculus: Understanding Divergence

September 20th, 2006|

Vector Calculus: Understanding Flux

September 16th, 2006|