Introduction to Mathematical Thinking

Learn to think like a mathematician, which is a powerful cognitive mechanism that has evolved over thousands of years.

Mathematical thinking is not the same as practicing arithmetic, at least not in the way that math is normally taught in our educational system. Learning processes to answer highly stereotyped problems is a common topic in school math. Professional mathematicians think in a specific way to answer real-world problems, whether they come from the actual world, science, or mathematics itself. Learning to think outside of the box is essential for success in classroom math. A significant element of mathematical thinking, on the other hand, is the ability to think beyond the box, which is a useful skill in today's environment. This course aids in the development of that critical mindset.

Start with the introduction. It explains the purpose of this course. This first orientation lesson is crucial because this course is unlikely to be like any other math course you've ever taken – even if it may appear to be! After that, Lecture 1 lays the foundation for the rest of the course, and Lecture 2 delves into the first topic. The discussion of codified aspects of language for use in mathematics continues in Week 2. Week 3 continues the examination of language as it relates to mathematics. The final week is dedicated to finishing the linguistic analysis and putting in place the linguistic machinery that enabled nineteenth-century mathematicians to build a formal mathematical account of infinite, putting Calculus on a strong foundation three centuries after its invention.

Skills you will gain

• Number Theory
• Real Analysis
• Mathematical Logic
• Language

Instructor: Dr. Keith Devlin

Coursera rate: 4.8/5.0, 2.336 ratings

Offered by: Stanford University

Enroll here: https://www.coursera.org/learn/mathematical-thinking