Re: R: Scientific method was physical pendulums/ an opportunity
From: "JACK L. URETSKY (C)1998; HEP DIVISION, ARGONNE NATIONAL LAB ARGONNE, IL 60439" <JLU@HEP.ANL.GOV>
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 11:44:36 -0500
Hi Paolo-
You ask:
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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? Please take no offence from my question, just
laugh at my poor understanding of English language.
Paolo Cavallo - Italy
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I mean that they will not use algebra to set up the problem. As
a result, they never see
ma =mg.
Instead of setting up the problem they immediately begin calculating
numbers. Their procedure is:
1. calculate the value of mg.
2. set the calculated value equal to ma.
3. divide the calculated value by m.
4. say, "Eureka, I have found a!"
Regards,
Jack
"I scored the next great triumph for science myself,
to wit, how the milk gets into the cow. Both of us
had marveled over that mystery a long time. We had
followed the cows around for years - that is, in the
daytime - but had never caught them drinking fluid of
that color."
Mark Twain, Extract from Eve's
Autobiography