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Re: R: Scientific method was physical pendulums/ an opportunity



I am just out of a ceremonial inauguration of our 8th college (now
university) president. She just reminded us that a century ago only
4% of the US population went to colleges, half a century ago it
was 20%, and now it is 70%. That is the source of our "troubles",
and an inspiration for challenges. As long as they want it, she said,
we should be happy, and try to improve the system.

Joel Rauber wrote:

Hi Paolo-
You ask:
********************************************************
Forgive me, but I'm not sure I understand. Do you mean that
students coming from high school are unable to use algebra
and solve m a = m g and the like symbolically? ....

The sad fact is that many of our students in introductory physics, more so
the 1-semester physics for poets class than the calculus based course, (the
algebra based course lying in the middle) can't do the symbolic algebra. I
remember a talk from Cliff Swartz, where he was talking about this sad fact
and mentioned that is one of the reasons the Navy taught three forms of
ohms law

a) V = I R

b) I = V / R

c) R = V / I

It is a sad and depressing fact. BTW I also notice the same phenomena Jack
mentions below.

Joel Rauber