Announcements

1
Announcements

• If you just transferred in, you need to a) see
  me to get a syllabus, b) take the pre-test so you
  can get extra credit.
• Help/review sessions with me will meet Tuesdays
  and Thursdays from 400-500 PM in Cowley 301
  starting next week
• The tutor schedule is being created now. It
  will hopefully be available sometime next week.

2
Problem Solving

• A fundamental aspect of this course is problem
  solving.
• Now, this is a fairly deep topic with lots of
  variations, so what exactly are we talking about?

3
General Problem Solving Tips
Setup
Execution

• Make sure you understand the situation
• Note important information
• Try to visualize the problem situation

• Develop a plan of attack
• Stick with it!
• Always question/test your result (reality check)

4
Physics Problem Solving Tips
Setup

• Identify what kind of problem you are dealing
  with
• List all the quantities that are given in a
  problem (initial conditions)
• Draw a picture that shows whats going on
• Think about/list the relevant concepts and/or
  equations

5
Math as a Foreign Language

• Math is short-hand notation for more cumbersome
  English
• The car moves twice as fast as the bike.
• vcar 2vbike
• Where did this come from?

6
Math as a Foreign Language

• The car moves twice as fast as the bike.
• vcar 2vbike

two objects
motion position, speed, velocity, acceleration,
etc.
relates characteristics of two objects
7
Words to Pictures

• A student walks 3 miles N and then walks 4
  miles E. How far is the student from where they
  started?
• 2 known distances
• xN 3 miles, xE 4 miles
• 1 unknown distance
• xtrip ?

8
2 Person Discussion

• Translate the following English sentences into
  math (use any variable names, like x or y, youd
  like).
• The air temperature is 35-degrees higher than the
  water temperature.
• A 120-Watt light bulb uses twice as much energy
  as a 60-Watt light bulb.
• The fuel efficiency of an SUV is half that of a
  hybrid car.

9
Math to English

• Sometimes taking a formula and turning it into a
  sentence will help you understand the concept it
  represents better.
• v (xf xi)/(tf ti)
• speed is the difference in position of an object
  divided by the time it takes to move between
  those positions

final time
final position
initial time
initial position
10
Whole Class Discussion

• Translate the following formula into English.
  The variables can represent any quantities you
  wish (the price of a steak dinner, the number of
  people in a car, etc.)
• A 4(B C)

11
NEXT

• Sections 2.1 2.2
• Scalars Vectors
• Distance Displacement
• Speed Velocity
• DONT FORGET
• Do your first pre-class quiz before Monday!