Re: Setting up problems

[Rick Tarara <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

"Then I have them look at the related equations based of the info from the
problem."

This is where the difficulty lies.  This is easy enough to do when they are
working Chapter 3 problems--the available equations are very limited.  But
what about when they are taking the final exam and have a whole semester's
worth of equations.  Now, if they don't have a STRONG grasp of the concepts,
they will get lost trying to figure out WHICH equations to look at.  IF the
problem is not worded similarly to another they have done (and memorized)
then they're lost.  Conceptual physics _must_ be a major part of all problem
solving courses.

Rick

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Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana
rtarara@saintmarys.edu
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www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/ENERGY_PROJECT/ENERGY2100.htm
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Patton" <rpatton@CAPITAL.K12.DE.US>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 12:36 PM
Subject: Re: Setting up problems


> I have my students read through the problem and list the given info and
> what is to be found. Then I have them look at the related equations
> based of the info from the problem. They should be able to find the
> equation that ties the given info to what is to be found. Then they
> should be able to do the math from then on.
>
> RW Patton
> dover High School
> Dover, DE
>
> Tim O'Donnell wrote:
>
> > > Is there some way to teach students how to read a word
> > > problem and then set it up so that they can then apply the
> > > math to it?  I don't remember how I learned this, but I (and
> > > all my colleagues) seem to be rather good at this.
> >
> > If someone has the magic formula I haven't found it. I too
> > can set up problems, but I don't really remember where I
> > learned it. I probably just did what the teacher showed
> > me to do and didn't look for the shortcut and over the
> > years I have just developed the ability.
> >
> > Tim O'Donnell
> > Celina High School
> > odonnt@celina.k12.oh.us