What are you Studying?

oldlongwalker

oldlongwalker

Member
Location
Los Angeles, CA
I have always wanted to learn calculus. I never took it in school, but it has always intrigued me. I read this article about a guy my age who decided to do this for a book project and decided to give it a go for myself. I've started doing the courses at Khan Academy. They are free and very well done. I was surprised how much math I had forgotten and I am starting with Algebra.

Anyone else studying anything?
 

My son is math/physics teacher and he gave me all his old books with questions and their answers in them, hoping I would do what you are doing, as I had often expressed interest. I was liberal arts, so always felt I missed out by not reading higher math. I also thought of Khan Academy for inspiration.

"Ashamed" to say I haven't gotten around to it. Yet. Glad you have. Math is good for the soul.
 
oldlongwalker said:
I have always wanted to learn calculus.
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Calculus is hard.

I got decent grades but could not make sense of it until I took some science and engineering courses using it. Then it seemed more logical.

Of all the math courses I took differential equations made the most sense to me.

If you want to really learn calculus take a physical chemistry course, kill or cure.
 
I continue to study the minds of serial killers and the bios of the old mafia guys back in the 40’s-80’s. I find their lives fascinating.
Richard Kuklinski especially interests me. He was a hired killer that used mostly poison such as Cyanide as his preferred weapon of choice. His family had no idea how he made his money. John Gotte was no big deal. He wasn’t a very smart operator. Sammy “The Bull” Gravano took him down only because he had heard that Gotte had very little liking of him and would call him names and make fun of him behind Sammy’s back. Bugsy Siegel was the smart one. He knew buying land out in the middle of a desert and turning it into a gambling city would make millions. Look at Las Vegas today and it’s nothing compared to what it once was.
 
oldlongwalker said:
I have always wanted to learn calculus. I never took it in school, but it has always intrigued me. I read this article about a guy my age who decided to do this for a book project and decided to give it a go for myself. I've started doing the courses at Khan Academy. They are free and very well done. I was surprised how much math I had forgotten and I am starting with Algebra.

Anyone else studying anything?
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Psychology has always been one of my interests, so have taken a few courses from Coursera. I spent the last 3 1/2 year studying leadership for a graduate program. Now I am studying how to convert a dissertation into a book. Interesting.....
 
Practicing my Spanish several times a week, but not studying per se.

Listening to astronomy podcasts (in Spanish). Also trying to learn about physics and chemistry, which I never learned in school.

Reading some philosophy in my book club. Not really my thing, but worth a look.

I was looking at offerings at our small local college. The "continuing education" courses are lame. The only things that interest me are a couple of physical geography courses (climate/weather and geomorphology/hydrology), but I think you have to be a full-time student to take these. I'll check it out. I need to get out of the house more.
 
I am learning to play a Classical Guitar and with it I am studying the music and techniques used to play this type of guitar. That includes 'Spanish Guitar', Folk Guitar, and Classical Music...enough to last a lifetime, as far as studying.

I am also trying to learn the history of England. To begin I bought a book and a documentary on DVD about the history of England.

Thats is for now...
 
Calculus can be intriguing as one ponders things like “Why can’t one ever get the smallest infinitely small positive number?” But just a warning: Don’t make this a topic of conversation at your next party of guests or you might find them suddenly needing to depart!

These days, I am mostly learning things like “how to remove the inside door panel of a 1999 Chevy Suburban”.
 
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Timewise 60+ said:
I am learning to play a Classical Guitar and with it I am studying the music and techniques used to play this type of guitar. That includes 'Spanish Guitar', Folk Guitar, and Classical Music...enough to last a lifetime, as far as studying.

I am also trying to learn the history of England. To begin I bought a book and a documentary on DVD about the history of England.

Thats is for now...
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What was the title of the book and documentary, if you don't mind sharing that is
 
Magna-Carta said:
What was the title of the book and documentary, if you don't mind sharing that is
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I don't mind sharing but I will mention it was my intent to find an introduction to England's history, since they are a very old country, compared to the USA, the overall history would be large volumes of information. So, I started with an overview that would then allow me to focus my later reading on specific times or events that I want to know more about.

The History of ENGLAND, http://historybroughtalive.com, Copyright 2022 - Book

Story of England, Michael Wood, BBC, DVD, 3.53 hrs.
 
Timewise 60+ said:
I don't mind sharing but I will mention it was my intent to find an introduction to England's history, since they are a very old country, compared to the USA, the overall history would be large volumes of information. So, I started with an overview that would then allow me to focus my later reading on specific times or events that I want to know more about.

The History of ENGLAND, http://historybroughtalive.com, Copyright 2022 - Book

Story of England, Michael Wood, BBC, DVD, 3.53 hrs.
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Good choose I think, Michael Wood. I watched it on TV, if it's what I'm thinking of. Back in the day when I could be bothered to watch TV that is.

Who is the author of the book you mention. The link you provided didn't show me. :)
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I had four years of Latin. But that was 60 years ago, and I forgot a lot. I'm relearning it, so I can translate Caesar's Gallic Wars from the Latin. For some ungodly reason, I think that's fun.
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Those are the best kinds of activities. I play guitar simply because I enjoy doing it. I don't play for anyone other than myself. It's just fun.
 
I have downloaded (thru The Great Courses) lectures on Ancient Civilizations in North America
and The Greek World. Both are fascinating but they highlight how much I didn't know about those subjects.
 

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