The benefit of photoreading a math book is that it is able to provide the conscious mind a breakthrough or better understanding of the math problems. Reducing some of the frustrations associated with learning to solve those maths problems. Most maths books are for practicing and self testing ones knowledge of how to solve them and an improved speed or ease at working out these problems accurately is probable, however activating a math book will take more time than activating a book for information because as you pointed out a math book has less emphasis on information and more on practice. So it is unlikely that you will work your way through the book like lightning.
Alex
Here is my experience with PRing math books. I learned PRing as I was finishing my Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. I had been putting off 2 math classes because, frankly, I was scared of them. One of them was Linear Algebra - I did OK in a lower level LA class about 10 years before but it has been a very long 10 years. The other class was called Computational Theory and is the 400 level advanced version of Discrete Math - which I failed twice before finally getting a C. Needless to say, math was my worst subject.
My approach to these courses was to Direct Learn (PR without activating) the books about a month before class started with a stated purpose of deeply absorbing the material in the books. Then, I PRed the books the night before the first class with the purpose of deeply learning the structure of the math. As I was working problems, if I got stuck on something, I PRed the book again with the purpose of finding something to help me solve the problem. Then I would either go on to another problem for a while or take a break for a while. In every case, when I came back to the problem some new approach "popped into my head" which led to the answer. I got an A in both classes.
Believe it will work. Practice it and be very careful in how you state your purpose and it will work for you too.
Good luck!
Mike
I do not intend to get through the book with lighting speed, Math is just one of those topics that are #(*$(*&@#ing annoying to deal with (at least in my case). I employ the "blizkreig" tactic for academic work and what I do is I would photoread the book at least five times per....quarter at the begining, then a day after I move in and randomly pick questions or anything irritating I have in mind and answer them. Then I move quickly to set up emotional anchors (they are like my own buttons for my brains and what they do is activate an emotion like I use my first finger for feeling powerful and unstopable, my middle is to make people angry and so on). I will share this tecnic later, back to the subject any ideas on how to increase comprehension on math topics or is it more of logic and thinking that gets me closer to solving them
Geometry can be a pain to study, depends on the teacher. I didn't do my HW in Geometry, got a 86, if I did my HW I would of gotten a 91. Depressing... Don't worry about it, keep making the future better. It's not likely that you'll get better by wishing that you aced Geometry, then you can't look at anything to improve upon. Confusion leds to knowledge.
just my thoughts
Chang Liu
My suggestion for people who have traditionally be poor at math, and want to us PR to improve is to go back. Go back to a level of math that you feel magnificiently confident with and PR and try those mind probing problems at the end of the chapter.
This may mean going back quite a few years. If you stay with a level until you feel really good with it, then you will build your ability for comprehending Math.
I've helped a few people with Math and I've noticed that if I try to help them with what they are working on it doesn't really sink it. However, if I talk to them and try and understand their level of understand. Then if I rephrase the problem and start from where they have a good comprehension, then they learn the material. It seems longer than just explaining all the details, but in the long run it isn't. They need a starting point to build from. Some place to hang the new knowledge as the acquire it.
Another note: Math books are written for people who are good a reading Math. I've read some old Math texts and they were written a lot differently. There was a lot more explaining of problems and concepts. Newer texts are more mathematically rigorous and detailed, but the are only so - so as instruments for educating. Not much good if only 20% of the class can teach themselves from the text alone.
Okay, that was probably 3 cents worth. Good luck,
Iam2
Kenji