Sections 1 and 2, due on September 7

1. I carefully read both sections. The most difficult part of the reading has been restructuring the way I think about numbers and graphical representations. It has been a little troublesome to keep straight the different types of numbers (rational, complex, natural, etc.) but it is also exciting to have a deeper vocabulary to be able to describe things. Describing sets in set builder form has also been a challenge, although a fun one. The most difficult section of reading is the end of section 2. The new summation notation for index sets is a little confusing. I just need practice interpreting it.

2. This material is interesting to me because I can tell that we're building a foundation from the ground up from which to build a more stable understanding of mathematics. For most of my education we've been focused on applications that take for granted the underlying theory that I am now finally studying. It is interesting and yet also a little frustrating. I thought I understood mathematics, but I'm realizing now that I had a superficial understanding.