Sometimes the things you've forgotten are important indeed!
The other day I was building something and realized that I hadn't done a trig problem in at least 10 years. I felt pretty sad when I had to look up how to solve it. I still remembered the general concept, but the details were lost on me. Yet, it was important that I knew how to do it.
I'm trying to go through Khan Academy in my spare time to learn and relearn the math that has slid out of my memory.
I try to quickly learn about every concept I come across to the point that I understand when and why you would want to use it, but not the point that I understand how to implement it. When I encounter a problem that fits the concept, then I can look it up and learn how to do it fully.
I don't know, I feel it has served me well anyway. I like to jump on problems in all kinds of industries, so it is impossible to study everything ahead of time.
I agree with this way of seeing knowledge. Knowledge of subject X shouldn't be represented as a binary field, since everything is fractal and you could spend infinitely long trying to understand it.
Absolutely. I knew there some something with an opposite angle and a hypotenuse, and it only took me a minute or two. If I had never known it, there's no way I could have done that so quickly.
Personally I can't tell how thankful I am about Khan Academy because there are really mathematical concepts that I simply couldn't digest back when I was in high school mostly because I either got lost in 1-2 chapters (back then) and instead of understanding the concepts I ended up drowning in them.
You know what is even funnier? That after learning the logic behind programming I was able to perceive mathematical concepts under a whole different view and had so many fulfilling "oh that!" moments so far!
That is why our educational system should be based on capability and progress, not age, from grade one. Kids shouldn't be put in a situation where they will drown as it only sets them up for more difficulty later.
The other day I was building something and realized that I hadn't done a trig problem in at least 10 years. I felt pretty sad when I had to look up how to solve it. I still remembered the general concept, but the details were lost on me. Yet, it was important that I knew how to do it.
I'm trying to go through Khan Academy in my spare time to learn and relearn the math that has slid out of my memory.