Despite the experiences many people had in high school and college math, everyone can learn and work with the foundations of quantitative methods. There are a handful of core concepts from math that are critical to being able to engage with data. Below are some of our favourite resources, examples, and scholars prepared to help introduce you to these topics.

Resource: Arithmetic – Lessons and Resources (Onlinemathlearning.com) 
Type: Series of webpages 
Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a refresher on arithmetic and basic operations with numbers 
Why we love it: This is a no-nonsense (and well-organized) resource that makes it easy to find a quick and simple explanation of the concepts you may need a refresher for. Topics covered include numbers, fractions, decimals, exponents, scientific notation, integers, percentages, proportions, and word problems. 

Resource: Math Refreshers – Quantitative Skills Center (University of Washington, Bothell) 
Type: Worksheets and links to explainers 
Who it’s for: Students trying to brush up on mathematics to take on exciting quantitative challenges 
Why we love it: The main challenges undergraduate and graduate students face with respect to basic arithmetic and algebra are addressed head-on. In addition, links to several additional, high-quality math resources are provided. Topics covered include an algebra refresher, a trigonometry refreshers, math-related websites and links, and resources to help learners improve their approach to math and combat math anxiety. 

Resource: Virtual Math Lab (West Texas A&M University) 
Type: Online tutorials and practice problems 
Who it’s for: Anyone looking for help with the basics of algebra all the way to college-level algebra topics 
Why we love it: The explanations and example problems are great for solidifying understanding, and the in-depth index helps you learn about the precise topic you are interested in. A large range of topics are covered.