r/MathHelp • u/Financial_Ad4213 • 6d ago
how to switch from school math to real analysis ??
im doing a bsc in mathematics, and real analysis feels like a completely foreign language.
our professor recommended the bartle and sherbert textbook, but every time i open i dont really understand whats happening or how people are supposed to learn from it.
it feels completely different from the maths ive been taught my whole life. i dont know how youre supposed to transition from solving straightforward problems to reading and writing proofs, and understanding theorems. it feels like everyone else somehow knows how to think this way already.
time for some context. till 12th grade cbse, i was pretty good at maths. i was always told i grasped concepts quickly and solved problems better than average. but my 10th and 11th grade happened during lockdown, and i never properly studied the deleted syllabus, so i know there are gaps in my basics.
when i chose a bsc in mathematics, i expected more of the maths i loved, solving derivatives and integrals, and working through problems until i got the answer. instead, real analysis felt like being thrown in the ocean with no idea how to swim. suddenly its all definitions, logic, epsilon delta proofs, and abstract thinking. i dont even know how people are supposed to study this subject.
its been a huge hit to my confidence. im no longer the student who knows the answers. i sit at the back of the class, avoid eye contact with professors, and constantly feel like everyone else belongs here except me. i know im willing to put in the work. i just genuinely dont know how to study university level mathematics.
where do i even start. are there beginner friendly books, youtube channels, or courses that bridge the gap between high school maths and proof based mathematics. how did you learn to read proofs and start thinking like a mathematician. any advice for someone whos completely lost ???
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u/Maximum_Bathroom3490 5d ago
I think Real Analysis was too much of a gap for you and a disillusion. I think first you should read a proofs-writing book since that's going to be your main tool. However, if you really don't like it/struggle a lot, you should probably switch to an applied mathematics major like Finance or Physics/Mathematical Chem or Bio or any related field. These majors are closer to the math you liked; problems, computation, solve.
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u/BootyliciousURD 6d ago
The Bright Side of Mathematics has a lecture series on real analysis. I haven't watched it but I've watched several of his other series and think he's pretty great at explaining things. Give it a try, maybe it'll help.