I dropped mathematics and want to self-teach it to myself starting from the basics

Question

I will make this question as objective based as possible. My curriculum teaches maths in a way that does not work well with me. Further, I also do not like the textbooks used (It was voted the worst in the state). The only way to succeed in this course was to get a tutor, objectively speaking. The highest non-tutor mark was about 60%~, majority severely failed the exam. I dropped the course as a whole.

In lieu of this, I still have a passion for mathematics. Currently, I just begin Calculus, but I am missing a solid development in all pre-calculus topics.

By solid development, I mean I have no intuitive way of grasping things - just stuff and methods rote learned from formulas provided.

I need a good textbook, and that is my question here, that provides a solid, rigorous, theory intensive approach to mathematics from all pre-calculus topics to beyond.

I don't mind if its multiple book recommendations in order, I am willing to study them hard.

Much thanks. I'm sure someone on this site has exactly what I'm looking for and am hoping they can share it with me.

Answer 1

Precalculus by Richard Rusczyk is a bit hard but if you get a small proportion of the stuff in there you will know much more than most high school text books teach.

http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Store/viewitem.php?item=precalc

Answer 2

I started an overview of my math with Calculus a complete course by Robert A. Adams. I find it a wonderful book.

Answer 3

Calculus and Analytic Geometry by George B. Thomas and Ross L. Finney. This is a great book for self learning, it balances clear explanations with enough rigor and will help you gain some intuition from the basics all the way to the multivariate integral theorems.