Recent content by grandpa2390

Well while I was waiting, I continued reading in the book and I may not be understanding them, but they seem to my question themselves and then respond that it is less accurate. and they show a graph that the method I used is less accurate over time. I am currently seeing if my python skills...

Just to be clear, this isn't a homework problem. it is an example problem found on page 68 of the text "Matter and Interactions" 4th edition. The solution is given in the book, but I'm having difficulty following their reasoning. according to the book the net force is not constant, therefore we...

I could see how someone might do worse under those circumstances. lol. a written exam gives you time to sit around trying things and waiting for a Eureka moment. being stared down the entire time would be stressful.

I like that definition... I'm going to steal it ;)

what's that?

I don't know. There's merit to that opinion. Spending a ton of time trying to figure out where you went wrong just to discover it was a sign error is no fun. But at the same time, the real world doesn't have answer keys and solution manuals. Learning proper bookkeeping and how to go back and...

the next time you sit down to start working out a problem, you better believe your bookkeeping will improve. You will be checking and double checking your signs. And if you still miss one, it probably won't take you 30 hours to realize it. checking your signs will be the first thing you do.

lol, ok wise guy. if you are getting the problem right on the first time, fine. If you are getting it wrong, don't reach for the answer key, keep working at it until you get it right. but honestly... it doesn't hurt to experiment and try other ways of solving the problem besides the one you...

I think you missed the point I was making. It has nothing to do with Gauss or any other great scientist. research shows that you learn more and retain better when you endure through your struggle with the material. It's ok to make calculation and conceptual errors as long as you stick with it...

I agree. In fact, my professors stressed to us, and research has only supported them ever since, that you only learn in math/science from making mistakes. The best way to learn is to try, try, and try again. And everytime you make a mistake, you learn how "not" to do it. You learn what "doesn't"...

you helped me see my error. I miscalculated what the radius was supposed to be. I also inscribed my octagon improperly. I should have been looking for the distance to an angle rather than the distance to a side. thanks!

that's ok. I solved it with sin(22.5) = 1/h. for some reason I didn't get it earlier. but now it's working out. no way I could have gotten it in the form you got it though. the form the solution wants. edit: I see my mistake. I thought the radius would be 2*sqrt(2+sqrt(2)), but it is...

why shouldn't the pi be there? Area = pi*r^2

if it helps, the answer is supposed to be my colleagues and I can't figure out how to come to that answer. It's probably something simple. edit: I tried to solve it by inscribing an octagon, and then finding the distance from the center of the octagon to the side of the octagon. but I got 1 +...

absolutely! I know a guy who works in data science, I told him of my interest and he has offered to advise me. :) One thing I want to make sure of is that I enroll in a program that is rigorous and respected. :) I've done a bit of research on that particular school, and it doesn't get a lot of...