[trasz]

What you describe is probably the least efficient way to learn math - or anything else for that matter - because you’re trying to learn things you can’t, at that point and for a while afterwards, reason about. They don’t have connection to anything else. Compare that with the opposite - learning stuff you can already mentally associate with parts of known reality.

[zozbot234]

> learning stuff you can already mentally associate with parts of known reality.

This is not always feasible or effective. Sometimes it's just better to start by doing some simple reasoning about things in isolation, and build the proper connection and context afterwards.