Supercharge Your Intuition: Get the BetterExplained eBook!
Follow by RSS & email
Like it? Try the ebook
Frustrated with math? I was too -- until I started looking for the intuition behind each concept.
Math, BetterExplained condenses a dozen math concepts into clear, easy-to-read tutorials. I want you to enjoy those aha! moments when you aren't going through the motions and an idea really clicks. Check out the samples below and see how thousands have been able to learn the math concepts that have frustrated them.
Every topic can be intuitive if explained correctly: grow your math understanding!
Print-quality layout and design
Clean graphics help visualize the Pythagorean Theorem
Visualizing Radians
Breaking down compound interest
What's inside?
- 12 chapters drawn from the blog articles, essential to any student:
- Contents
- Introduction
- 1. Developing Math Intuition (Chapter preview)
- 2. The Pythagorean Theorem
- 3. Pythagorean Distance
- 4. Radians and Degrees
- 5. Imaginary Numbers
- 6. Complex Arithmetic
- 7. Exponential Functions & e
- 8. The Natural Logarithm (ln)
- 9. Interest Rates
- 10. Understanding Exponents
- 11. Euler’s Formula
- 12. Introduction To Calculus
- Afterword
- Print-quality design made for easy onscreen reading & printing
- PowerPoint slides and images for all diagrams used in the chapters (deluxe version)
- 12 video guides that explain the analogies in the chapters - each averages a succinct 10 minutes. Sample Video (Chapter 1: Developing Your Intuition)
- 3-part (1-hour total) interview with Scott H Young. Scott has written extensively about study techniques and we discuss ways to generalize the approach of building your intuition.
- Concept worksheet discussing common pitfalls/additional ideas, drawn from the most common questions asked about each topic
Who's it for?
- Students: Save hours of frustration -- get things as I wish they were explained to me.
- Teachers/Home Schoolers: Get high-quality educational materials & ideas for your lesson plans.
- Self-learners: Go back and understand concepts at a level rarely discussed in textbooks or classrooms.
Testimonials
Doug Hogg, Former PrincipalI have several books on calculus (Calculus for Dummys, Math for the Millions, etc. etc. - never was able to read them) but your explanation is what I have needed all these years.
Ferose Khan JI am an engineer by profession... but never had that a-ha moment. I had it when I read your article. I don't have words to explain my happiness, you have unwound a knot that was tied 12 years before...
C. DhavejiThis is a great explanation! I am 49 years old and have never known what e is all about. It is thanks to your article that I get it and now can explain it to my son who is 13 years old...
Daniel EzellI've been following you for nearly two years...I find the intuitive approach to the subject and lucid writing unparalleled.
@mugunthkumarOne of the best e-books I've ever read in my life...
@anoemiJust started reading the ebook Math Better Explained by Kalid Azad, loving it so far
Explanations That Work
The explanations inside have been developed after years of study, and are consistently among the most popular in their field. I use analogies and diagrams to make concepts click: we're visual creatures, let's use that part of our brain!
For example: Concepts like imaginary numbers just pop into place when you see them as numbers in two dimensions:
We're used to the number line stretching left-to-right; when it spreads vertically, new numbers emerge. This simple insight saves hours of frustration when visualizing imaginary numbers.
Written For Human Beings
Rigid, stiff writing is uncomfortable for us both. I explain the way I wish I was taught: clearly, concisely, and with a sense of humor. Let's learn with conversations, not lectures.
For Your Computer, Phone or eReader
I don't like DRM restrictions any more than you. The ebook is an unrestricted PDF and can be enjoyed anywhere.
Quality Design
Some ebooks look like they were copied out of Word -- not this. Book-quality layout and typography mean it's a joy to print and read at your leisure. Readability is king: wide margins give plenty of room to write notes, and whitespace helps the words flow.
About Kalid Azad
I became fascinated with intuitive learning after a tough math class at Princeton University. After cramming for days, the formulas finally clicked -- "Argh! Why couldn't they explain it like that in the first place?" I had to share my insights to save other people my frustration.
That "aha!" moment spawned BetterExplained.com, whose articles have been read by millions worldwide. It's regarded as one of the best places to really understand math. Memorization is fragile, but insights stick.
I've been writing technically for a decade, from chapters in programming textbooks to whitepapers for Microsoft.
Standard | Premium | Complete | |
---|---|---|---|
PDF for computer, iPhone, or e-reader | |||
Print-quality layout & design | |||
PowerPoint slides for all diagrams | |||
Extracted image files for all diagrams | |||
Video guides for each chapter | |||
1-hour interview on developing intuition | |||
Supplemental Concept Worksheet | |||
The order goes through Paypal, but an account isn't required. And if you aren't satisfied, contact me for a refund at any time or if you have trouble with your download.
78 thoughts on “Supercharge Your Intuition: Get the BetterExplained eBook!”
I’ve been following your website for months now; this is excellent news! And since this is the first time I’m posting I just wanted to say thank you Kalid, this site has gotten me excited about math again.
I’ve been following you for nearly two years. I have several sources for my math explorations (I put them all on the collaborative blog). Still, I find the intuitive approach to the subject and lucid writing unparalleled. What really sets you apart is your excitement about discovery.
I work through your articles with my tutoring students who want to work outside their math curriculum. I eagerly open any new Better Explained article that hits my newsreader. Thank you, Kalid.
Awesome news!! Love your stuff. By chance, will there be a hard copy of the book too?
@Sebastian: Thank you for the kind words! You are more than welcome, and I’m really happy you were able to rekindle your interest .
@Daniel: Thanks so much, it really means a lot to me when teachers are able to help other students learn. I get really excited when I finally get those breakthroughs and am thrilled they’re coming in useful — thanks again!
@Karmen: Thanks! I’d love to produce a hard copy of the ebook, I’m taking this as the first step to get experience with publishing . If and when the hard copy comes out, I’ll do my best to make sure everyone who got the electronic copy gets a discount on the hardcopy as well.
I agree with your comments. I think this is a great idea and would like to see a hard copy one day I myself am a victim of being a critic to the theories behind math, but this step up approach to understanding it from “outside the box” of number crunching is essential. Thanks Kalid!
I’ve been following your website for months.I think it’s great!
i just bought your ebook and as i was paying i got the idea that this could be a great concept for an iphone app or interactive ebook. i think its something you might want to consider depending on the book’s success.
Yes, this is great news. I’ve followed you for quite a while now and was recently thinking to myself that I wish you had a book that would incorporate website topics as well as others! Bought my copy today Thanks for all your hard work.
@Valerie: You’re more than welcome! I’d love to see a hard copy too .
@Meng: Thanks for the support!
@Hamad: That’s a great idea! I had thought about just reading the PDF, but there are so many more things you can do. Now you’ve got me thinking…
@ktr: You’re more than welcome, thanks for the kind words and support!
That’s great news Kalid!! I really like your blog and your approach towards life & maths
Your ebook will be a cherished collection in my library
Keep up the good work! All the best!
Regards,
Prateek.
@Prateek: Thanks for the note — I really appreciate your encouragement!
What do you use for typesetting ? (Just curious).
@uwe: The ebook was created using Adobe InDesign. I hired a designer, James Wondrack, to make the template.
this will be money well spent.
Hi,
You seem to link to the articles on the website from the book. It would be a good idea to to have those articles included in the book because its very annoying to click those links.
I’ve been reading this site for some time now. Keep up the good work!
@Maulin: Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I’ll be changing the links to be to the other chapters — I appreciate the note!
when can we expect a full version to be released?
@John: I’ve gotten some great feedback and am going to be doing some work to make the ebook very printer-friendly. I think there’ll be another beta coming out in early October, and assuming all goes well, the final version should be released near the end of that month or in early November.
Hi Khalid,
I’ve just come across your site by recommendation through reddit. I really appreciate the work you’re putting in. I know my maths as much as I need to, but I’ve just bought your ebook because you explain concepts better than I do to my students.
I hope to send you tips and feedback for the final version!
Thanks,
Afsar
Khalid,
thank you for releasing this – i have found this site endlessly useful. You put things in a way that just fits!
Its good to buy an ebook to take away with me and have things put into a more structured and familiar form (take as a compliment). Worth ever £ and i will be recommending to many!!
Kind Regards,
Doug
@Afsar: Thanks for the comment! I’m happy if anything can be used to help your students. Feedback is definitely welcome!
@Doug: You’re welcome, thanks for the comment and support! Yes, I want the ebook to be like a portable version of the site, I have some changes to the beta coming up that will help with just that .
I have some decent intuition (beyond the proofs
) of the Chain and Power rules for derivatives. Just thought I’d share, whether or not you already know.
Chain: This “rule” is really the simple concept of “correcting” for different variables when you’re looking at relationships. It says that d/dx f(g(x)) = f’(g(x)) times g’(x)
In other words, figure out the direct relationship between f and g, not thinking about x just yet, then multiply by the relationship between g and