[bayesnet]

What is so unbelievably frustrating about math education is that these interesting questions are not even hinted at until far, far down the line (and before people make the assumption I was educated outside the US).

I avoided math like the plague until my PhD program. Real analysis was a program requirement so I had to quickly teach myself calculus and get up to speed—and I found I really, really liked it. These high level questions are just so interesting and beyond the rote calculation I thought math was.

I hope I can give my daughter a glimpse of the interesting parts before the school system manages to kill her interest altogether (and I would welcome tips to that end if anyone has them).

[Terr_]

Reminds me of "A Mathematician's Lament" [0]. I'd prefer to link a non-PDF copy, but nothing came up with a casual search.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Mathematician's_Lament

[noelwelsh]

Geometric proofs are really accessible. You don't need any algebra to prove Pythagoras' theorem, or that the sum of the inner angles of a triangle is 180 degrees, for example. Compass and straight-edge construction of simple figures is also fun.