Introduction to Mathematical Thinking

Learn how to think the way mathematicians do – a powerful cognitive process developed over thousands of years.Mathematical thinking is not the same as doing mathematics – at least not as mathematics is typically presented in our school system. School math typically focuses on learning procedures to solve highly stereotyped problems. Professional mathematicians think a certain way to solve real problems, problems that can arise from the everyday world, or from science, or from within mathematics itself. The key to success in school math is to learn to think inside-the-box. In contrast, a key feature of mathematical thinking is thinking outside-the-box – a valuable ability in today’s world. This course helps to develop that crucial way of thinking.

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Syllabus

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Week 1
Week 2
Week 2
Week 3
Week 3
Week 4
Week 4
Week 5
Week 5
Week 6
Week 6
Week 7
Week 7
Week 8
Week 8
Week 9
Weeks 9 & 10: Test Flight

FAQ

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

What is the passing grade for this course?

Since the focus is to acquire a new way of thinking (as opposed to getting right answers), the passing grade for the weekly Problem Sets is 35%, and for the Test Flight Problem Sets 30%. Basically, this means that if you stick with the course and complete all the work diligently, you should get a passing grade.

Reviews

Although I'm a 9th grade student and found many concepts hard, the course was very informative and interesting. Thank you coursera for offering me the opportunity to take this course with stanford.

I am happy to learn Math from the beginning of the beginning. Moreover, if this course was read for me at school, I am sure that I could have much more closest relations with math:)

Its a 5 star course taught by a great professor. The journey through this course was like reliving school days with even more fun. Course is really refreshing for math lovers. Go for it !

In the last lecture, based on what he previous taught, the professor give us the definition of limitation which is the beginning of the Calculus. I wish I taken this course before university.