[threespice]

I am also been interested for the longest time - even with a degree in Mechanical Engineering - to understand mathematic like Calculus or the equations you see in neural networks papers.

My longest problem has been I have no idea what is going in the formula or fundamental questions like, "why is there a square root there". It is hard to describe my issue, but I've been very horrible with math anyways. Can't do gas station math anyways.

[rramadass]

Try, Try again until you "get" it. Seriously, Maths should be read by everybody in the spirit of playing a game i.e. with no pressure and in a relaxed frame of mind. There are Concepts, Objects and various Rules interconnecting them. And somehow these "games" turn out to be useful in explaining the real world.

Get some school/college textbooks (high school level onwards) and some "popular maths" books and start reading. Once something catches your fancy you can dive deep as needed. You are studying to gain "understanding" and not to get through an exam or prove something to somebody.