http://www.khanacademy.org/

This is a free learning resource offering many videos covering subjects such as math, science, and economics. I think if you actually look into a few videos, it'll grow on you. It's very approachable.

I wish I was a Star Trek fan; I could make a lot of jokes in this topic.

Site looks cool, though. I'm short on time right now, but it's officially earned a bookmark for later perusal. I didn't see anything about the Money Masters, though, so I'm not sure if I can trust the content.

Big thanks for posting that link. It's amazing.

Mcjon01 Wrote:I wish I was a Star Trek fan; I could make a lot of jokes in this topic.

Though I haven't been a fan for a long time, allow me:
KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

That's a really interesting website, thanks for posting the link! I, too, have bookmarked it for later perusal as I'm a bit crunched for time atm

He puts up new videos/lessons fairly often. His last one was 43 minutes ago and last week he put up 5 videos. So, it's important to keep in mind that the whole collection is always expanding.

I needed to learn basic economics/finance, so that'll help lots!

I need to get better at brain teasers. ._.

I just can't refuse to ask the guy, about his studying methods Seriously, he has at least 4 degrees, in different (though not totally unrelated), fields, either he's a freakin'
genius, or he has some very advanced studying methods, coupled with a superior IQ....

Raschaverak Wrote:I just can't refuse to ask the guy, about his studying methods Seriously, he has at least 4 degrees, in different (though not totally unrelated), fields, either he's a freakin'
genius, or he has some very advanced studying methods, coupled with a superior IQ....

In one of his interviews, he has stated that he learns from playing around with the basics and that knowing the core concepts well will give you a great intuition for later concepts. When he doesn't remember a formula or whatever, he can just derive it from basic understanding. In fact, he says that so much of math is just fancy repackaging.

Interesting. That's the same way I approach mathematics. I never memorize formulas. I work through proofs enough that the results become obvious. However, that only works for math with me. Physics, for example, seems so arbitrary that I just have to memorize the way things work.

I have a two part question regarding khanacademy. I couldn't find any contact information on his site...then how do people tell their opinions / give feedbacks?
Only over yutube?
Secondly, and more importantly, I've watched one of his maths vids, for which here is the link: http://khanexercises.appspot.com/video?v=rkeU8_4nzKo
Now, my problem is that approximately at 10:45 in the vid he says to test out a formula, but it doesn't give back the same results as it supposed to, accordig to his claims, at least... could anyone check on this, or point me in the direction to some contact info about khan academy?
I really like it, but at times like this, I get my strongest concerns, if I could really take him
seriously, or not...or maybe I've just overlooked something, I'm a bit tired

Quote:To contact the Khan Academy, please send an email to sal "at" khanacademy.org (replace "at" with '@').

Also, are you talking about the very last example?

Smackle Wrote:

Quote:To contact the Khan Academy, please send an email to sal "at" khanacademy.org (replace "at" with '@').

Also, are you talking about the very last example?

Thanks for the quick reply, I must be blind lately
Yes, I'm talking about what he says: substituing the numbers (which he suggests) in the formula, it does not give anything close to 5/2. Nor 2/5...so I'm confused. But I really need some sleep now

Oh, you mean sin(.005)/(.002) ? Please make sure you are using radians.
Calculators are usually set to degrees by default.

That Khan thing seems pretty legit, guess I'll bookmark it.

Smackle Wrote:Oh, you mean sin(.005)/(.002) ? Please make sure you are using radians.
Calculators are usually set to degrees by default.

Old memories come back...I've just realized why I never got good grades at maths, even
if I did understand the concept, I would always overlook some minor fact in the test
Of course you're right, it should be radians.....Thanks!

Raschaverak Wrote:I just can't refuse to ask the guy, about his studying methods Seriously, he has at least 4 degrees, in different (though not totally unrelated), fields, either he's a freakin'
genius, or he has some very advanced studying methods, coupled with a superior IQ....

Getting degrees just takes time, not being a genius. I think anyone on this site doing Japanese at a reasonable pace while doing a different degree will at least match the pace of someone doing a Japanese degree as well.

Speaking of which, this guy lives just next door to me... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/edu...onths.html

dizmox Wrote:

Raschaverak Wrote:I just can't refuse to ask the guy, about his studying methods Seriously, he has at least 4 degrees, in different (though not totally unrelated), fields, either he's a freakin'
genius, or he has some very advanced studying methods, coupled with a superior IQ....

Getting degrees just takes time, not being a genius.

Yeah, but the guy, Khan, is only 32 or something. If he was 50 I'd say that he's very hard working by obtaining so many degrees, but at 33? Nope. He has to be at least close to a genius

dizmox Wrote:Speaking of which, this guy lives just next door to me... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/edu...onths.html

How I envy you. Your neighbour is a mastermind You know it's quite frustrating, I have a thirst for knowledge as well (as he states in the article), the only difference is that I will never be able to even remotely satisfy this thirst, because I'm waaaay to slow...my brain is just not enough...and believe me, it could get very frustrating at times oh well, I guess I should conclude my post by saying, "oh well, that's life", but no, instead "oh my god, there has been made a mistake, I was supposed to be born much smarter...."

Raschaverak Wrote:Yeah, but the guy, Khan, is only 32 or something. If he was 50 I'd say that he's very hard working by obtaining so many degrees, but at 33? Nope. He has to be at least close to a genius

Double Major in Undergrad, went to grad school and got his masters, then went and got his MBA. I don't understand what's difficult about this, except for putting up with so many years of school.

Anyways looks like a good website I'll check it out later

Having too many formal education qualifications actually makes it look like you are unable to make any practical use of your skill (otherwise you'd be working by now) or don't have any sense of independence (afraid to enter the real world, cannot continue learning by oneself). Getting a phd can be a real career killer in some fields.

Raschaverak Wrote:

Smackle Wrote:

Quote:To contact the Khan Academy, please send an email to sal "at" khanacademy.org (replace "at" with '@').

Also, are you talking about the very last example?

Thanks for the quick reply, I must be blind lately
Yes, I'm talking about what he says: substituing the numbers (which he suggests) in the formula, it does not give anything close to 5/2. Nor 2/5...so I'm confused. But I really need some sleep now

Well, you know that 1/(2/5) = 5/2. Then he tells you that the lim sin x /x = 1. So the answer is 5/2.

Look at this: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=plot+sinx%2Fx

You can see how the function is approaching 1 when x approaches zero.

He used to have a job with hedge funds. He said he took it because someone told him it was the best way to learn about lots of different things in the world. He just likes learning.

Before making videos on subjects he's not so knowledgeable about, he contacts some of the acquaintances he's made at Harvard and MIT to gain an understanding.

Best way to get a big paycheck too. I bet he loves big paychecks.

Jarvik7 Wrote:Having too many formal education qualifications actually makes it look like you are unable to make any practical use of your skill (otherwise you'd be working by now) or don't have any sense of independence (afraid to enter the real world, cannot continue learning by oneself). Getting a phd can be a real career killer in some fields.

I just can't imagine a situation where a PHD would actually hinder yor career, in any field.
If sy if worried about the "lost" time not working but still learning as a PHD, then one can do it on the side while still having a full time job. In your Cv it's your choice if you mention that you have a PHD or not....
A PHD shows that you are capable of learning, doing serious (independent) research, can think, and solve problems. I don't know how employees would be intimidated by that. The only hindrance is that as an investment, looking at it strictly from a financial side, it really might not return, at least not in short time. But then again a PHD student should love what he's doing, so studying / researching in a field that is in the center of your interests, is in itself rewarding enough, methinks
It shouldn't be always just about the money....
But a PHD always opens opportunities rather then closes, whether on the real labour market, or in the field of academics.
Note: If I had the friggin' brains, I would pursue myself a PHD, but unfortunately, I can't....dreams will always be dreams I guess

makurabin Wrote:

Raschaverak Wrote:Yeah, but the guy, Khan, is only 32 or something. If he was 50 I'd say that he's very hard working by obtaining so many degrees, but at 33? Nope. He has to be at least close to a genius

Double Major in Undergrad, went to grad school and got his masters, then went and got his MBA. I don't understand what's difficult about this, except for putting up with so many years of school.

Anyways looks like a good website I'll check it out later

Sorry, I thought that those were traditional 4-5 year long degree programs, and he did them paralelly.... I once had a friend who did exactly like this, studying to be a geographist, an economist, and a lawyer..guess where is he now? In the parliament of Hungary, at the age of 27.... not bad huh?