How to Read Mathematics

When I was a small kid, my grandfather used to teach me how to read English. I was born in India, so we did not get to reading English till we were 6 or 7. His technique was simple. He would mark portions of a sentence with a vertical mark (in pencil). He told us that we need to pause at the vertical bar, at comma and a pause a bit more at the period.

I wish I had seen this article on How to Read Mathematics, when I was young, since it was one of my favorite subjects. This is a profound statement, a quote in the article, made me take a quick read.

“Reading Mathematics … involves a return to the thinking that went into the writing” (ibid page 16).

Here are a list of things to do (in a nutshell).

• Don’t miss the big picture
• Don’t be a passive reader
• Don’t read too fast
• Make the idea your own
• Make sure that you are the intended audience

The Example of Mathematical writing towards the end, is a clear step by step dialog on applying these techniques.

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