Growing up as an autistic boy in a world full of idioms, sayings, and implicit requirements, I always found solace in the rigorous, grounded world of mathematics. Which is why I always found it bizarre that most people see mathematics as some kind of arcane practice, that could only be understood by wizards.
With hindsight, I do understand now. A lot of school and standard education approach to teaching maths is just "putting maths problems in front of you and see if you can do them."
In this book, we will approach mathematics from the very beginning. At the end of this book, you will not have a diploma nor a degree, but you will have an unalienable understanding of mathematics fundamentals so that you can continue to study on your own.
But beware: while this book aims to be approachable, it will not shy away from using "complicated-looking" symbols and technical language1. Jargon is an important part of executing any profession, and I will make sure you are acquainted with terminology. At the end of the day, they are just words, and you should feel comfortable around them.
Each chapter will introduce a new foundational idea. We will only move to the next chapter when all you are expected to know in the following chapters has been demonstrated. The start of the book is kind of funny — the first few concepts are ridiculously small and hilariously self-evident.
But do not get too cocky, we will eventually get to the mind-bending material.
So, now, as we get into our first chapter, get ready to forget everything.
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I will be using non-standard nomenclature for a lot of the concepts demonstrated here — this is on purpose, both to bring distant, equivalent fields closer, and to create a more approachable environment. By the book's end, I will provide a glossary showing the many different names each concept might be called in the real world. ↩