Diagnose without pressure.
Use the eight-question diagnostic. “Not sure” is useful information, not a failure. Revisit high-school algebra or earlier learning stops when a prerequisite is unfamiliar.
A SMALL GUIDE TO GETTING STARTED
Understand a little.
Come back for more.
You are learning a new kind of thinking, not racing through a list of answers. Give each idea time to become your own.
Begin Chapter 01 ↗YOUR LEARNING RHYTHM
Six moves. One lasting habit.
Connect intuition to precision.
Read the learning targets, definition, example, and worked argument. Explain why each proof step follows. Keep the original textbook open for the full treatment.
Try before peeking.
Each stop has two warm-ups, two reinforcement problems, and two challenges. Use hints one at a time. Open a solution only after a genuine attempt, then explain it without looking.
Make your reasoning visible.
State assumptions and the goal. Justify the steps and check edge cases. The rubric supports self-review; it does not automatically establish that your proof is correct. Ask a teacher or learning coach to review it.
Look for independent evidence.
Try the exit ticket without solutions and write a brief explanation in your own words. If you miss a question, repair the gap before using the alternative ticket. “First pass complete” is not a mastery certificate.
Recall after a little forgetting.
Revisit at +1, +3, +7, and +14 days. Recall before rereading. Complete mixed checkpoints every three stops. The site does not send reminders while closed.
Your notebook belongs to you.
Answers, drafts, and reviews stay in your browser. There is no student account, server-side notebook, or background AI service. Different browsers, devices, domains, ports, and local-file URLs may have different progress.
Use Export my notebook before changing devices or website addresses. If downloads are blocked, copy the text from the export dialog. This version exports readable Markdown; it does not import or restore it.
When asking a human or an external coach for feedback, include the problem, your attempted proof, where you got stuck, and how much help you want. Never paste passwords or private account information.
Keep the source close.
Read Clive Newstead’s An infinite descent into pure mathematics, Chapter 1, pp. 11–74. This companion uses the SAMS 2017 PDF updated August 11, 2017. Its learning stops are a teaching arrangement, not the official current CMU syllabus.
Independent educational companion. Textbook and adaptations: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — attribution, noncommercial use, and share alike.