Math Diagnostic

1 Use This As A Placement Check

You do not need a perfect score. You need an honest sense of where friction appears.

2 Algebra

You are probably fine to move on if you can do most of these comfortably:

• manipulate equations and inequalities without sign mistakes
• move between logarithmic and exponential forms
• factor common expressions
• interpret a function and its graph

If not, start with algebra repair.

3 Proofs And Logic

You are probably ready for proof-heavy pages if you can:

• negate a quantified statement correctly
• explain the difference between implication and equivalence
• write a direct proof with clear assumptions and conclusion
• produce a counterexample when a claim is false

If not, start with proofs and logic.

4 Calculus And Linear Algebra

You are probably ready for advanced ML math if you can:

• explain a derivative as local linear change
• compute a gradient of a multivariable function
• reason about span, basis, rank, and orthogonality
• explain why SVD matters beyond a formula

If not, start with single-variable calculus plus linear algebra.

5 Probability And Statistics

You are probably ready for learning theory and high-dimensional work if you can:

• distinguish random variables from events
• compute expectation and variance cleanly
• explain conditional probability in words
• describe bias-variance tradeoffs without hand-waving

If not, start with probability before statistics.

6 Advanced Theory Readiness

You are probably ready for real analysis, optimization, and learning theory if you can:

• read a theorem and isolate assumptions
• follow a convergence argument line by line
• move between symbolic derivation and geometric meaning
• explain why approximation and stability matter in computation

If this still feels unstable, spend more time in foundations before chasing frontier topics.