MIT Physics Challenge Problems (OCW)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenge problems from MIT's OpenCourseWare (OCW) physics content, particularly their difficulty and the expectations surrounding them. Participants explore how these problems are typically approached in an academic setting, including the role of office hours and collaboration among students.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express that the challenge problems are quite difficult and question whether they are meant to be solved independently.
  • One participant notes that challenge problems often come from textbooks like Kleppner and Kolenkow and that it's common for students to seek help during office hours.
  • Another participant asserts that MIT students are expected to handle these problems, albeit with effort.
  • One contributor mentions that while they can usually solve the problems, it can be time-consuming, especially with other assignments to manage.
  • A participant points out that the K&K problems were not considered challenge problems in the 8.012 course but were regularly assigned problem sets.
  • Another participant comments that the 8.012 course appears to be optional for physics majors at MIT, suggesting variability in course selection.
  • It is noted that K&K problems tend to be viewed as an optional track in colleges.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the expectations surrounding the challenge problems, with some believing they are meant to be tackled independently and others suggesting that seeking help is normal. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the specific expectations at MIT.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in understanding the exact nature of problem assignments at MIT, including the context of course requirements and the variability in student experiences with the challenge problems.

Ascendant78
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MIT Physics "Challenge Problems" (OCW)

I had a question for anyone who is familiar with MIT and their OCW. I like to use their content to compliment my studies, but I feel some of their challenge problems are quite difficult. I am curious, are those challenge problems something they expect you to be able to handle on your own? I don't know how their work is typically assigned and if this is material they might typically have during recitations, in class as groups (reversed classroom), or something along those lines?
 
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The challenge problems tend to come from books like Kleppner and Kolenkow or problems from the honors version of the class (the two overlap anyways). I don't know how it works at MIT, although I doubt it's any different, but office hours are usually the "go to" place if you're stuck on homework problems at most universities. You aren't necessarily expected to solve the problem sets with absolutely no help whatsoever (take-home exams are a different story of course); chances are you'll be assigned a problem you can't figure out on your own, it's nothing unusual. Again office hours and getting help from classmates are the norms at most universities. That being said, there are quite a few problems in K&K that you can certainly solve on your own with no help. There are also quite a few for which external help might prove necessary. I definitely wouldn't have been able to solve some of the rotational motion problems in K&K on my own when I first used the book-I got help from others.
 
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Yes, an MIT student would be expected to handle these. Maybe not instantly, but with some work.
 
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Ok, thanks for the feedback. As far as doing them with some work, I usually can, though it is oftentimes very time-consuming. If I didn't have the assignments from my own courses on top of it, I would definitely be working on more of them.
 
The K&K problems weren't challenge problems in 8.012 just a regularly assigned pset.
 
K&K tends to be the optional track in colleges
 

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