Filling in Gaps in Math Knowledge

Summary

In this video, the speaker addresses a question from Forrest, a viewer struggling with foundational math after a traumatic brain injury. Forrest, now in college, placed into pre-algebra but feels he might need to review grade school math. The speaker advises Forrest to focus on his current college math classes and address gaps as they arise, rather than extensively reviewing old material. This approach helps maintain focus on current studies while backtracking only when necessary. The speaker encourages Forrest to explore higher math and tackle challenges as they come. Viewers are invited to share additional advice in the comments.

Takeaways

• 📚 Forrest, the viewer, has a background in math up to calculus from high school but has struggled with foundational concepts after a TBI.
• 🎓 Forrest has returned to college and took a placement test, which placed him in pre-algebra, but he suspects he might need to revisit grade school math.
• 🗣️ The video host encourages Forrest's decision to go back to college and acknowledges the significance of his placement test results.
• 🔍 The host advises Forrest to start with the classes that the college recommends, as the placement test limits the courses he can initially take.
• 📈 When foundational issues arise in class, such as problems with inequalities, the host suggests seeking out resources to resolve those specific issues.
• 🔙 The host warns against spending too much time going back to review old material, emphasizing the importance of focusing on current coursework.
• 🎯 The host suggests that it's human nature to want to learn what isn't being taught, but advises against losing focus on the present.
• 🧩 The host believes that Forrest will be okay and that being in college and taking classes is a good start to identifying and addressing gaps.
• 🚀 The host encourages Forrest to not be afraid of exploring math he feels unprepared for, and to backtrack and resolve issues when he gets stuck.
• 📉 The host mentions that algebra is often the stumbling block in calculus, suggesting that solidifying algebra skills can be beneficial before tackling calculus.
• 💡 The final piece of advice is to focus on the present, the classes being taken now, and to address weak spots as they are encountered in higher-level math.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is addressing a question from a viewer named Forrest about identifying and addressing gaps in foundational math knowledge.

What prompted Forrest to ask for advice?

Forrest suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in his 20s, which has caused him to struggle with foundational math concepts, despite previously being good at math up to calculus in high school.

What was Forrest's experience with the placement test?

Forrest took a placement test and was placed in pre-algebra, but he suspects he might need to revisit grade school math to solidify his foundation.

What is the presenter's initial advice to Forrest?

The presenter advises Forrest to take the math classes assigned by the college and focus on the material in those classes, addressing foundational issues as they arise.

Why does the presenter suggest focusing on current classes instead of going back to earlier material?

The presenter believes that focusing on current classes is more effective because it keeps the learner engaged with relevant material and allows them to address foundational gaps as they encounter them.

What example does the presenter use to illustrate their point?

The presenter uses the example of calculus, explaining that many people find algebra challenging within calculus. They suggest jumping into calculus and addressing algebra issues as they arise, rather than trying to perfect algebra first.

What does the presenter say about the nature of calculus and algebra?

The presenter mentions that the concepts of calculus are beautiful and not particularly difficult, but it is the algebra that often poses challenges for students.

What is the presenter's overall message to Forrest?

The overall message is to be proactive and focus on the present, tackling higher-level math and addressing foundational gaps as they become apparent, rather than avoiding advanced material out of fear of not being prepared.

How does the presenter view the process of encountering difficulties in higher math?

The presenter views encountering difficulties as a normal part of learning higher math and suggests using these challenges as opportunities to identify and resolve weak spots.

What encouragement does the presenter offer to Forrest at the end of the video?

The presenter encourages Forrest by saying they believe he will do awesome in his math journey and invites others to offer advice in the comment section.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Addressing Math Deficits Post-TBI

In this video, the host addresses a viewer's question from Forrest, who is seeking advice on identifying gaps in his foundational math knowledge after suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Forrest, who was once proficient in math up to calculus in high school, has found himself struggling with basic math concepts. Now in college, he has taken a placement test that placed him in pre-algebra, but he suspects he may need to revisit earlier math to solidify his foundation. The host commends Forrest's decision to return to college and suggests that he should take the math classes that the college deems appropriate for his level. The advice given is to focus on the current classes and seek out resources to address any foundational issues that arise during the course of his studies. The host emphasizes the importance of staying focused on the present rather than getting bogged down in revisiting past material. The host also suggests that Forrest might find it beneficial to engage with higher-level math, like calculus, and then backtrack to resolve any issues when they arise, as this can be both challenging and enjoyable.

Keywords

💡TBI

TBI stands for Traumatic Brain Injury, which refers to an injury to the brain caused by an external force, such as a blow to the head or a penetrating injury. In the video, Forrest mentions having suffered a TBI in his 20s, which seems to have affected his foundational understanding of math concepts. This is a significant aspect of the video as it sets the context for Forrest's current struggle with math and his journey to overcome it.

💡Foundational Math Concepts

Foundational math concepts refer to the basic principles and building blocks of mathematics that are essential for understanding more complex mathematical ideas. In the transcript, Forrest indicates that he struggles with these concepts, which suggests that he needs to revisit and reinforce his understanding of basic math before progressing to more advanced topics.

💡Placement Test

A placement test is a standardized assessment used by educational institutions to determine a student's proficiency in a particular subject and to place them in the appropriate course level. In the video, Forrest mentions that his placement test only got him as far as pre-algebra, indicating that he needs to start from a basic level to build up his math skills.

💡College

College refers to an institution of higher learning that grants degrees or certificates. In the context of the video, Forrest has decided to go back to college, which is a significant step in his educational journey. The advice given in the video is tailored to someone who is in a college environment, taking classes, and seeking to improve their math skills.

💡Pre-Algebra

Pre-Algebra is a branch of mathematics that precedes algebra and typically includes the study of basic arithmetic operations, fractions, decimals, and simple equations. In the video, Forrest is placed in a pre-algebra class based on his placement test results, which suggests that he needs to start by revisiting these foundational topics.

💡Inequalities

Inequalities in mathematics are expressions that compare two values or expressions to determine if one is greater than, less than, or equal to the other. In the transcript, the speaker advises Forrest to seek out resources if he encounters issues with inequalities while taking an algebra class, indicating that this is a foundational concept that may need to be addressed.

💡Algebra

Algebra is a branch of mathematics that deals with symbols and the rules for manipulating those symbols. It is a foundational area of study that is essential for understanding more advanced mathematical concepts. The video suggests that algebra could be a challenging area for Forrest, and it is implied that he may need to focus on strengthening his algebra skills.

💡Calculus

Calculus is a branch of mathematics that deals with rates of change and accumulation, including the study of derivatives and integrals. In the video, the speaker mentions that calculus is a higher-level math topic that Forrest may eventually reach, and it is suggested that struggling with algebra could make calculus more difficult.

💡Backtracking

Backtracking in the context of learning refers to the process of going back to previously learned material to reinforce understanding or to address gaps in knowledge. The speaker in the video suggests that Forrest should not be afraid to jump into higher math and then backtrack to resolve problems when he gets stuck, rather than focusing solely on foundational topics.

💡Focus on the Present

Focusing on the present in an educational context means concentrating on the current material being taught rather than getting sidetracked by reviewing past material or worrying about future topics. The advice given in the video emphasizes the importance of staying focused on the classes Forrest is currently taking and addressing weak spots as they arise, rather than getting lost in reviewing old material.

Highlights

Forrest's YouTube channel subscription and appreciation for math content.

Forrest's struggle with foundational math concepts after a TBI.

Forrest's return to college and interests leading towards deeper math problems.

Placement test result in pre-algebra and the need to solidify foundational math.

Advice to jump into college classes as recommended by the school.

The importance of focusing on current classes rather than revisiting old material.

The suggestion to seek out resources when encountering foundational issues.

The common tendency to review old material instead of focusing on current topics.

The encouragement to take college classes and focus on the present.

The potential difficulty of algebra in calculus and its importance.

The argument for solidifying algebra before tackling calculus.

The alternative approach of jumping into calculus and resolving issues as they arise.

The idea that encountering difficulties can help identify weak spots.

The encouragement for Forrest to explore math he may not feel prepared for.

The reminder to always focus on the present and current classes.

An open invitation for viewers to leave advice for Forrest in the comments.

Transcripts

hi in this video I'm going to be reading

a question that I received from a viewer

and doing my best to answer this

question as always if you have any

advice for this person please leave a

comment in the comment section below

okay I'm going to go ahead and open the

email

and the person's name is Forrest and the

subject is identifying math deficits to

figuring out where to start

hey there I recently discovered and

subscribed to your YouTube channel

foreign

thanks for putting out all this great

math content I wanted to ask a question

but also wanted to provide a bit of

context

it used to be decent all the way up to

calculus in high school but in my 20s I

suffered a TBI

and seemed to struggle with foundational

math concepts like so many others I've

gone back to college and many of my

interests Propel me towards much deeper

math problems

my question is this

how can I best identify where my

foundational understanding has gaps

placement test only got me so far

pre-algebra but I'm inferring that I

might need to redo grade school math to

really solidify my Foundation again

thanks a bunch your friend Forrest

so first let me say I think it's really

good that you decided to go back to

college I think that's excellent and the

fact that you're enrolled in college and

you took a placement test and and put

you in pre-algebra says a lot

so my advice is actually really simple

and I'm not sure if it's what you're

looking for and if anyone else can chime

in and give some advice that'd be great

too

so since you're in college you're going

to have to take some math classes and

typically when you take a placement test

they only let you take certain classes

so like if you test it into pre-algebra

that means that you pretty much have to

take pre-algebra and you don't really

have a choice so my advice would be this

simply jump into the classes that the

school thinks you should take and take

them and when foundational issues come

up like if you're taking an algebra

class and you're having an issue with

inequalities seek out resources and try

to resolve that issue

one thing that people often do when they

feel that they're lacking foundational

things is that they'll go back and

they'll try to like spend a lot of time

on those foundational topics which I

think is fine but I also think it's more

important to focus on the now to focus

on the present so what I mean by that is

if you're taking an algebra class focus

on the material in that class

it's really easy for people to want to

go back and review old material instead

of focusing on the material that's being

taught now I'm not saying you're doing

that I'm just saying that's something

that I've done and it's something that a

lot of people do you know it's more fun

to go learn what you're not being taught

I feel like it's Human Nature in any

case I think you're going to be okay I

think the fact that you're in college

and you're taking classes in college is

a really good start so my advice would

be take those classes in college that

are being given to you and just really

really just focus on those classes and

when those weak spots come up sure go

back and review if you have to but try

not to lose focus on the big picture try

to keep focusing on what you're doing

now focusing on the classes you're

taking now

just as an example eventually you're

probably going to get to calculus and in

calculus something that people struggle

with is algebra people get to calculus

and I feel like that's where they really

learn algebra people say it's the

algebra that makes calculus hard not the

calculus because the calculus Concepts

themselves are really beautiful and

really not that difficult it's really

the algebra that holds people back so

one argument is you should really

solidify your algebra before getting to

calculus

that's a good way to do it but my point

of view is jump into the calculus and

then when you get stuck that's when you

backtrack

it's kind of a hard way to do it because

you're always going to encounter

difficulties you're always going to find

weak spots but I think that's the best

way to find weak spots jump into the

higher math and then when you get stuck

then resolve those problems

it's a little bit intimidating for

people to do that but it's also more fun

because it means you can jump into

higher math so Forest don't be afraid to

explore math that you feel you're not

prepared for jump into it and if you get

stuck then you can backtrack and

remember always focus on the present

focus on the classes that you're taking

now

I really appreciate your email and I

think you're going to do awesome

if anyone has any advice for Forest

please leave a comment in the comment

section below good luck