🧭 Module 0 · Welcome · Chapter 0.3 · 10 min read

Where Am I? — Self-Assessment

8 short questions, a custom roadmap.

Prerequisites

What you'll learn here

  • Honestly state your math / physics / programming level
  • Find which depth layer (L1 / L2 / L3) is right for you
  • Pick a module order based on your goal (curious / builder / expert)
  • Plan your study calendar in 8 weeks × N hours

Hook: You Tune the Book, Not the Other Way Round

The most frustrating thing about textbooks: “The reader is assumed to have the following prerequisites” — three sentences. If you have them, you don’t need the book. If you don’t, you feel dumb and close it.

This book is different: first I ask where you are, then I suggest a custom route. 8 short questions, 5 minutes.

Important: Not an exam. No wrong answers. The point is to be honest with yourself. Nobody sees your result — it stays in your browser.

Intuition: I Ask 3 Kinds of Questions

  1. Math comfort — derivatives, integrals, matrices?
  2. Physics / chemistry background — semiconductors, electrochemistry, quantum?
  3. Your goal — curious, builder, or expert?

Each question has three options, each mapped to a depth layer (L1/L2/L3). The layer you pick most often becomes your recommended route.

Self-Assessment

1 / 8How do you feel when you see derivatives and integrals?

Experiment: Interpret Your Result

Once you see your result, ask yourself:

  • Does the result match your gut? If it says “L2” but you haven’t seen calculus, retake it (be brave, it’s OK to say L1).
  • Your goal shifts the route: Even an L1 reader interested in hardware can race through Module 5 before touching Module 1. The idea is to see the map, not to master it.
  • Your hours drive the calendar:
    • 2 h/week: 75 chapters × 10 min = ~12 h reading + 12 h quizzes + 16 h labs ≈ 20 weeks.
    • 5 h/week: ≈ 8 weeks.
    • 10 h/week: ≈ 4 weeks.

Quiz

1/3What is the point of the self-assessment?

Lab Task: Write Your Calendar

On paper or in a note app, fill in:

Start: 2026-XX-XX
Level: L2
Weekly hours: 5
Module route: 0 → 1 (fast) → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7
Target finish: 2026-XX-XX (~8 weeks later)

Week 1: Module 0 complete (3 chapters) + Module 1 chapters 1-5
Week 2: Module 1 chapters 6-10 + Module 3 chapters 1-3
...

Cross off as you go. This is your personal teacher.

Cheat Sheet

  • Self-assessment = 8-question diagnostic, L1/L2/L3 mapping. No right/wrong.
  • Result lives only in your browser. Reset any time.
  • Level and goal are independent. An L1 reader can still pick a hardware-first route.
  • Your weekly hours set the calendar: 2 h → 20 weeks, 5 h → 8 weeks, 10 h → 4 weeks.
  • Best route: the one you write. The recommendations are a template — skip freely.

Further Reading