These problems are organized into four topics on four pages:
Each page opens with a section titled trivium consisting of templates for mathematical exercises that plainly describe the common foundational skills you should master. The problems beyond the trivium are more novel. Think of the difference between an “exercise” and a “problem” as like the difference between doing a squat or dead-lift and helping a friend move heavy furniture. Each problem is intended to teach you something, to heighten your understanding of the subject matter. Be sure to not simply “do” each problem as if it were a task to complete, but to reflect on its purpose and learn something from it.
The more challenging problems are marked like this
so that you, upon working on such a problem
and pausing in doubt to think it can’t be this hard
,
may confidently cast that doubt aside and get back to work.