There is a large mathematical foundation behind machine learning, that is not even taught to most computer science students. The concepts that built machine learning are often found in engineering and mathematics:
It's not easy to learn, especially if you are not strong in math, but if you want an intuitive understanding as to how machine learning works, I would recommend learning a combination of probability, linear algebra, and formal theories of computation (abstract machines):
This book was really what opened the gate of tying the content together:
It's not easy to learn, especially if you are not strong in math, but if you want an intuitive understanding as to how machine learning works, I would recommend learning a combination of probability, linear algebra, and formal theories of computation (abstract machines):
This book was really what opened the gate of tying the content together:
http://www.amazon.com/First-Course-Probability-9th-Edition/d...
You should also be strong in discrete mathematics.