11 Best Mathematics Courses for Beginners
Choosing a mathematics course as a beginner can feel overwhelming, especially when you want a solid foundation without committing to advanced material. This page brings together eleven introductory options from Coursera, edX and Udemy, covering topics from discrete mathematics and linear algebra to quantum computing and basic engineering maths. Each listing includes the provider’s current price and, where available, the university or institution delivering the content, so you can compare cost and academic affiliation at a glance. The courses are ordered according to our own ranking, reflecting a balance of breadth, relevance for beginners and overall value, but they are not presented as definitive “best” choices. Review the summaries to see which syllabus aligns with your interests—whether you aim to support a future career in data science, software development, or simply want to strengthen your numerical confidence.
- Courses compared
- 11
- Price range
- $19.99 – $896.40
- Providers
- Coursera, edX, Udemy
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
How these 11 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from Coursera, edX, Udemy, matched to "mathematics" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.
The grade on each entry scores how much the provider publishes about the course before you pay — the length and detail of the description, whether it lists learning outcomes and objectives — and whether a named university or institution stands behind it. A is fully documented and institution-backed; E is little more than a title and a price. Courses with almost nothing published are left ungraded rather than marked down, because an unknown course and a poor one are not the same thing.
There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $19.99 to $896.40, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Introduction to Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
Offered by University of California San Diego
Discrete Mathematics is the language of Computer Science. One needs to be fluent in it to work in many fields including data science, machine learning, and software engineering (it is not a coincidence that math puzzles...
$79.00listed price -
2
Mathematics and Statistics Fundamentals
Offered by The London School of Economics and Political Science
This course covers foundational concepts in mathematics and statistics, essential for anyone looking to strengthen their analytical skills. With a focus on practical applications, you'll learn key techniques that are app...
$896.40listed price -
3
Introduction to Linear Algebra and Python
Offered by Howard University
This course is the first of a series that is designed for beginners who want to learn how to apply basic data science concepts to real-world problems. You might be a student who is considering pursuing a career in data s...
$49.00listed price -
4
The Complete Quantum Computing Course for Beginners
Offered by Packt
Updated in May 2025. This course now features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as yo...
$49.00listed price -
5
Math for AI beginner part 1 Linear Algebra
Offered by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST)
'Learn concept of AI such as machine learning, deep-learning, support vector machine which is related to linear algebra - Learn how to use linear algebra for AI algorithm. - After completing this course, you are able to...
$49.00listed price -
6
Fundamentals of Quantum Information
Offered by Delft University of Technology
Quantum information is at the heart of quantum computing: learn how it is mathematically represented via quantum circuits and how to manipulate quantum entanglement with these circuits.
$185.00listed price -
7
Fundamentals of Engineering
Are you an engineer? Do you have or are you currently pursuing an engineering degree? Have you ever wanted to pursue your dream of becoming a licensed professional engineer? If so, then this course is designed just for y...
$19.99listed price -
8
MATLAB and Octave for Beginners
Offered by École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
Learn MATLAB and Octave and start experimenting with matrix manipulations, data visualizations, functions and mathematical computations.
$179.00listed price -
9
Math Fundamentals: Numbers and Terminology
Offered by Universitat Politècnica de València
The basic concepts of sets, basic terminology and the fundamental properties of numbers (real and complex) are reviewed.
$29.00listed price -
10
edX MOOC / Non-creditMath Fundamentals: Derivatives
Offered by Universitat Politècnica de València
Basic course on functions and their derivatives, including their applications to problem solving.
$29.00listed price -
11
Master the Skills of Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam
|| UNOFFICIAL COURSE ||IMPORTANT Before Enrolling:This course is not intended to replace studying any official vendor material for certification exams, is not endorsed by the certification vendor, and you will not b...
$19.99listed price
Best Mathematics Courses for Beginners compared
| # | Course | Provider | Offered by | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science | Coursera | University of California San Diego | $79.00 | View → |
| 2 | Mathematics and Statistics Fundamentals | edX | The London School of Economics and Political Science | $896.40 | View → |
| 3 | Introduction to Linear Algebra and Python | Coursera | Howard University | $49.00 | View → |
| 4 | The Complete Quantum Computing Course for Beginners | Coursera | Packt | $49.00 | View → |
| 5 | Math for AI beginner part 1 Linear Algebra | Coursera | Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST) | $49.00 | View → |
| 6 | Fundamentals of Quantum Information | edX | Delft University of Technology | $185.00 | View → |
| 7 | Fundamentals of Engineering | Udemy | — | $19.99 | View → |
| 8 | MATLAB and Octave for Beginners | edX | École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne | $179.00 | View → |
| 9 | Math Fundamentals: Numbers and Terminology | edX | Universitat Politècnica de València | $29.00 | View → |
| 10 | Math Fundamentals: Derivatives | edX | Universitat Politècnica de València | $29.00 | View → |
| 11 | Master the Skills of Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam | Udemy | — | $19.99 | View → |
Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.
What the prices here tell you
The 11 priced courses on this page run from $19.99 to $896.40, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $876.41. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.
Who is behind these courses
These courses come from Coursera, edX and Udemy. The platforms differ in how they sell: some charge once per course, others expect a subscription, and the listed price is not always what you pay at checkout after a promotion. 5 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including University of California San Diego, The London School of Economics and Political Science and Howard University — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Courses versus exam preparation
1 of the entries here are built around a certification exam rather than teaching Mathematics from scratch. They are the right choice only if you already know the material and want to pass a specific exam; if you are starting out, pick one of the taught courses first and come back to exam preparation afterwards.
Before you enrol
Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 18 September 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.