3Blue1Brown videos and learning guides

Build intuition for vectors and linear algebra

Begin with Vectors: chapter 1 of Essence of Linear Algebra. Familiarity with coordinates is enough to start. Draw a vector as an arrow, write its components, then add and scale it both ways. Explain what changes when you move an arrow without changing its direction or length.

The catalog also includes the series preview, The determinant and Eigenvectors and eigenvalues. Before the later chapters, become comfortable with matrices and linear transformations. Try predicting how a transformation changes area or a particular direction before watching the animation. These four selections are starting points within Essence of Linear Algebra, not a complete chapter sequence. Follow the original series between these selected chapters.

Understand neural networks before coding

Start with But what is a neural network?, then continue to Gradient descent and Backpropagation, intuitively. Basic functions and derivatives help with the training explanations. After each video, sketch the network and describe the role of a weight, an activation and a loss without looking at your notes.

For language models, continue with Transformers, the tech behind LLMs and Attention in transformers, step-by-step. Keep track of what each vector represents and how information moves between tokens. When you want to implement the ideas, follow the Andrej Karpathy learning guide for Python-based coding sessions and their prerequisites.

Connect calculus with Fourier transforms

The essence of calculus is an entry point for thinking about change and accumulation. Use a familiar graph to connect a slope with a rate of change, then ask what information its accumulated area represents.

Continue with the visual introduction to the Fourier transform when you are comfortable reading functions and graphs. Follow it with Fourier series: from heat flow to drawing with circles. Sketch a simple repeating signal and explain how changing a frequency changes the picture. Revisit a short segment whenever the animation makes sense but the explanation in your own words does not.

Try visual probability and information theory

For a focused problem, choose Bayes theorem: the geometry of changing beliefs or Solving Wordle using information theory. Basic probability is useful. Write down your initial guess, calculate one small example, and compare your reasoning with the video's explanation. This makes a good single-session path when you do not want to begin a longer series.

Study materials and discussion

The Vectors guide currently includes English notes, a quiz, editable flashcards and a PPT outline. Other videos in this channel collection remain available to watch with catalog overviews and collected HN discussion; their material labels show whether study resources are available.

Read the discussion for questions about prerequisites, applications and places where an explanation needs another pass. Return to the video to test the idea, then keep a short record of what you can now draw, calculate or explain.