Supplementary Notes

Quizzes
Warmup Quiz
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Quiz 3
Quiz 4
Quiz 5
Quiz 6
Quiz 7
Quiz 8
Quiz 9

Reviews
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25

Old Quizzes (Fall '08)
Warmup Quiz
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Quiz 3
Quiz 4
Quiz 5
Quiz 6
Quiz 7
Quiz 8
Quiz 9
Quiz 10

Practice Exam Problems
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25

How can I be successful in the discussion section?
The discussion grade is based on your scores of the quizzes. So you have to keep getting good scores on the quizzes. Here are some tips to get better scores:

• Begin with easier problems
  Currently each quiz consists of one easy problem, two problems of medium difficulty and one challenging problem. Since each problem is worth 2.5 points, the best strategy is to start with the easiest problem. If you think the problem you are working on is hard, skip it and move on to the next problem. You can come back to the skipped problem later.

• Leave some work on all of the problems
  I grade each problem based on the following:

  0 point for no work
  0.5 point for a little bit of work
  1 point for some work
  1.5 points for partially correct answer
  2 points for almost correct answer
  2.5 points for correct answer

  As you can see, even if your answer is wrong, you can get 1 point if you leave some work. So don't leave any problem blank.

• Review problems solved in discussion
  Most of the quiz problems are similar to the problems I solve in the discussion class. You can solve at least two quiz problems just by following the same steps I take in the class. Since the quiz problems are not exactly the same as the preblems worked in discussion, and you have to solve each quiz problem in about five minutes, you have to understand those worked examples pretty well.
• Review homework problems
  Some of the problems solved in the discussion section are similar to the homework problems. So the quiz problems are also similar to the homework problems. So it's a good idea to review homework problems before the quiz.
• Draw diagrams AND coordinate systems
  I noticed many of your mistakes are related to the wrong sign. This type of mistakes are often avoided if you fix a coordinate system first and stick to it.

How can I prepare for the hard problems?
One of the problems in each quiz is challenging in the sense that normally similar problems are not solved in discussion nor given in homework. Also it often requires quick AND accurate analysis of the problem and fast calculation so that you can finish it in time.
So it encourages you to do extra work and it's a good indicator of your understanding of the material.
Anyway it doesn't require any special skills or knowledge that is not covered in the textbook. So please be ambitious and always aim for full credit.
Here are some tips:

• Make it sure that you can solve all the magenta problems
  Sometimes I modify magenta colored problems at the end of chapters to make challenging problems in quizzes. So ambitious students should try out all the magenta problems and make it sure that you can solve it in a relatively short period of time.
• Make your formula sheet cumulative
  The quiz problems are on the topic of covered chapters. But that doesn't mean you don't need to use the concepts or procedures you learned in previous chapters. You have to know how to solve quadratic equations and simultaneous equations. You often have to use kinematic equations and/or any types of conservation laws. Since you don't have time to derive any formulas during the quiz, so if you don't remember, you should put down those formulas on your formula sheet.
• Draw accurate figures
  Accurate diagrams are essential to analyze problems and useful when you resolve vectors in components.
• Calculate algebraically as much as possible
  To reduce your workload, I often choose known values so that when you substitute those values to the final expression, the calculation will be simple.

How can I get good scores on exams?

• Do homework for yourself
  I cannot emphasize this enough. The lecturers carefully choose good problems for your homework and similar problems are often on the exams. Try them on your own first. If you cannot solve them for yourself, read the corresponding sections. If you still have troubles, visit my office or any other TAs and ask us. In this way, you can at least understand our explanation. Although I will give anyone who comes to my office complete solutions for homework problems, you will have tough times on exams if you don't understand what I say and just copy my solutions. So come to my office after you try out homework for yourself.

Thank you for reading through this page. I hope this helps. If you have any suggestions on this page, please let me know.