Want to learn the ideas in A Mind For Numbers better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of A Mind For Numbers by Barbara Oakley PhD here.

Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.

Video Summaries of A Mind For Numbers

We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on A Mind For Numbers, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Barbara Oakley PhD.

1-Page Summary of A Mind For Numbers

Overview

Even though Barbara Oakley hated math and science in her youth, she found that it was critical to pursue her dream career. She learned how to excel at these subjects by developing easy-to-apply methods and fun tricks.

You will also learn why naps are important, how to plan your time effectively and why you shouldn’t necessarily want to be a genius.

Big Idea #1: The human brain has two ways of thinking: the focused and the diffuse modes.

Some flashlights have two settings: they can focus a narrow beam or spread light out.

Our brains work in a similar way. They can switch between two ways of thinking: focused mode and diffuse mode. Focused mode is when we concentrate on information that’s already embedded in our minds, while the diffuse mode helps us think creatively by generating new ideas. The brain uses these modes together to solve problems using rational and analytical thought or creative thinking, respectively.

For example, you use focused mode thinking when you multiply numbers. If you’re studying a language, you might use it to incorporate the verb conjugation that was taught last week.

We have two modes of thinking. The first is focused mode, where we pay attention to one thing and do it well. We use this when we want to be productive. The other way of thinking is called diffuse mode, which happens when we relax our focus and let our minds wander a bit. This helps us get a big-picture understanding of things around us or ideas in general.

The diffuse mode is also important in math and science. Diffuse mode can help you gain new insights into problems that you have been struggling with.

When you’re trying to understand something new, focus on the big picture. Don’t get stuck in one thing and try to figure it out.

This sentence has three errors. The first two are easily noticeable when you’re reading it carefully.

But the third error? The third error – that there is no third error – only becomes clear when we look at the sentence abstractly. Focused and diffuse thinking both have their purposes.

Big Idea #2: Focused thinking, diffuse thinking and sleep are all fundamental for successful learning.

We switch back and forth between two modes of thinking. One is focused, the other diffuse. We can’t be in both at once, but we can move from one to the other quickly.

We can learn a lot from different teaching styles. Sometimes it’s important to understand the basics of something, and sometimes it’s best to solve problems with that knowledge.

To solve difficult problems and learn new concepts, we need to focus on them for a while. Then, when we’re not thinking about the problem anymore, our unconscious mind will work on it in the background. When we go back to that problem again, the solution will be there waiting for us. This is because our conscious mind sends information to our unconscious mind so it can process it and send us back results when necessary.

Sleep is also important for learning. You can’t keep exercising your muscles all the time because they need to rest. When you take time off in between workouts, you build strong muscles over time.

Sleep is important for learning. If you don’t sleep enough, your brain will be overloaded with toxins that impair thinking and memory. Sleep also keeps the brain healthy so it can process information more effectively. Also, if you review material just before sleeping on it, there’s a higher chance of dreaming about it and understanding the material better in your dream state than when awake.

So, if you get frustrated with something, try to think of it in a different way. Or, take a nap.