Tagnature

Re-Learning Mathematics

This collection grows with time, so come back to check it out sometime in the future. If it stays quite for too long, ping me and let me know!

New 3D animation techniques have me revisiting mathematics. In my math book research, I found this information below to be particularly interesting and/or useful.

Perspective! by David Chelsea
Why not start with a bit of inspiration first? Would you be inspired to know that you can learn to draw environments like a professional comic book artist… while also forming questions as to why all these proportions line up almost magically.
Perspective

Precalculus Mathemetics in a Nutshell by George F. Simmons
AH! It looks like a text book!! Don’t worry, it’s actually tiny, at about 100 pages. The author teaches calculus and states that he teaches precalculus (algebra, geometry and trigonometry) in a single day. It will take most of us longer than that… but this information gives a great grounding position to pounce off from.
Calculus

The Secrets of Triangles by Alfred S. Posamentier
I’ve only read a few sections, but this appears to be a great place to start for those that want to understand points in space and their relations to each other.
SecretsOfTriangles

Measurement by Paul Lockhart
It’s all about the relationships. Want to play with some math without writing letters or numbers? Start here.
Measurement

Euclid’s Window by Leonard Mlodinow  (haven’t read yet, but I kept encountering it while looking at the books above).
EuclidsWindow

For the 3D animation programmer out there, you have quite a few to select from and I will have to take some time in the future listening those out, as well.

For the person who hates math, I recommend checking this list out, as it may help you understand where math becomes beautiful.

Don’t Be Afraid, Math Doesn’t Always Hurt

Nature by Numbers by ETERIA.

If only this became the new definition of “infographics”.

And here’s a Youtube link for those of you on smartphones.

I saw the beginnings of Drew’s visualization of DNA replication about 8 years ago in L.A. Have things improved since then? Well, my cheeks start to hurt when I think of how happy I am for him.  Watch this.

Vi Hart’s blog is another visual explanation of math in nature.

Constructing the Universe w/ Michael Schneider

Spirit Science’s presentation on sacred geometry creates an intense ride through the many patterns that can be found in nature and describes it’s effects on our consiousness… and our consciousness on it!

What is Pi? Simple animations can help see where the 3.14 comes from.

Finally, if you are super geek, Professor Norman J. Wildberger has gone back in time to explain how trigonometry was supposed to be taught. I swear, my dread would have been turned to love, had I been exposed to trig like this.

Crowds in Nature

Not talking about humans… but ants and birds.

Hiking in Vancouver

Vancouver has a seemly infinite number of woodsy mountainous places to explore. I’ve hiked in Lynn Valley and up the Grouse Grind… but that’s really about it. My largest complaint is that I’m not sure where to go, or what I can get to via public transit. Lame excuse, I know.

Recently I joined an outdoor Meetup group and through that I discovered VancouverTrails.com. On this website you can even filter search results that will show you trails that are accessible via public transit! Awesomeness that has destroyed any excuses that I might have.

Macro Photography Never Felt So Alien

photo by Lasius Vlavius

photo by Leon Baas

Why must they show me what I cannot do with my camera.  What makes it worse, is how well they do it.  More of these incredible photos can be found on Smashing Magazine.

Welcome to planet earth.

Thanks Dan L. for this one!

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