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Re: vector components and notation



I don't use the unit vectors for my first year course. We do just fine using
subscripts to remind us which component we're working with and don't confuse
the issue with extra letters floating around.

I do use unit vectors with my AP class to get them used to thinking in those
terms, but I often find my students go back to the subscripted variables when
they don't think I'm looking.

I, too, can live without them and do very well in our first year course.

Steve Clark, Ph.D.
Starr's Mill High School

On Wed, 18 Sep 2002 14:19:18 -0400 Joe Heafner <heafnerj@VNET.NET> wrote:

From: "RAUBER, JOEL"

P.S. What are the opinions of people on this
list regarding Algebra Based
books that do not introduce the unit vectors
i,j,k ?

I can live without them. Even Cliff Swartz, in
his relatively recent resource book, advocates
not using them at all in ANY introductory
physics course.


Cheers,
Joe Heafner - Instructional Astronomy and
Physics
Home Page
http://users.vnet.net/heafnerj/index.html
I don't have a Lexus, but I do have a Mac. Same
thing.