I recently passed 100 days of practicing math every single day šÆ
Iāve wanted to beef up my math chops for a while, but I needed a good reason that would justify the time investment. Plus, itās always easier to learn when you have a clear goal and something meaningful to apply it to.
So, it never reached the top of my priority list. But then a couple things happened recently that gave me 1) sufficient motivation and 2) a clear path.
Iāve worked on various AI products over the last year and like understanding the technical aspects of the products I build.
But as I dug in to learn more about how large language models (LLMs) and transformers workedā¦I was lost. It was humbling.
ā¦which gets to something important: Math is hard.
Math Academy makes learning math as easy as possible, but itās still hard work. Really hard work.
Learning math is challenging. Itās real work. This isnāt some casual app you can just flip through.
Unless youāre like John von Neumann, most of it requires pencil and paper to knock out. The only exception is the early lessons when youāre just refreshing and can do most of it in your head.
But if youāre serious about legitimately learning math, there is no better, more convenient way.
To make this a habit Iād stick to, Iād have to lower the activation energy of doing it and make it as close to a new ādefaultā behavior as possible. āThis is just what I do.ā
So, I started with convenience and consistency, which helped me form other good habits as well.
Learning math is hard enough, so how can we make it somewhat convenient?
Math Academyās short (~10 min) lessons help. I also use an iPad for the lessons (itās web-based) when Iām not at a computer and a Remarkable 2 for the work (e-ink for pencil/paper). I also found a cheap case that fits both perfectly.
This makes it easy to knock out lessons here or there. For example, I had jury duty recently and knocked out a few lessons while waiting.
And just this past Wednesday, the kids were ready early, so I got to the gym about 15 minutes early and knocked out a lesson or two in the car. Iāve also started doing them during a light walk on the treadmill (I have one under my standing desk).
My usual routine is to do lessons in the evening after the kids go down and after I work out. It is challenging to muster the energy to work out and do math after a long day, but making it a habit has made it easier.
Iāll say it again: Math is hard. My goal is to work up to the math needed to better understand LLMs and transformers.
Thankfully, Math Academy has a āMathematics for Machine Learningā course Iām working towards, which gives me a clear goal. Given my limited time, it will likely take years for me to get there.
Why years? Two reasons:
- Math is hard.
- Math is BIG.
I had no idea how broad and deep math was. I probably still donāt.
Case in point:
106 days down, ~1,000 more to go š
Itās a hard, but worthwhile and enjoyable new hobby for now.
For hard subjects like math, I always assumed the only ārealā way to learn was in dedicated environments like college since online courses were best for softer, less technical topics. This was a bummer, especially for adult students like me.
But Math Academy changed my mind on this, and Iām a huge fan so far. I hope they continue to grow and expand to other complex STEM topics like computer science, physics, etc.
Overall, Iām just so excited thereās an effective, accessible way to learn hard things. If I were a billionaire, Iād invest to accelerate its progress and find a way to sponsor a license for every kid who was interestedā¦
But for now, Iāll just talk about it to anyone who will listen š
