Review for Upper Division Class Mechanics course?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around reviewing concepts in Classical Mechanics in preparation for an upper division course. Participants explore suggestions for problem sets and resources to use for effective review.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks recommendations for problems to review prior to taking Classical Mechanics I, expressing confidence in their previous understanding but wanting to refresh their knowledge.
  • Another participant questions the need to limit the review to just a handful of problems, suggesting that if the material is mastered, more problems could be beneficial.
  • A different participant challenges the notion of doing only a few problems, asking for clarification on what is meant by "all of them" in terms of problem sets available in textbooks.
  • One participant emphasizes the importance of specifying resources for problem sets, noting the variability in the number of problems across different textbooks.
  • Another participant advises that the amount of problems to solve should depend on individual preparedness, suggesting that one should do as many as they feel necessary to ensure mastery.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the quantity of problems to review and the appropriateness of the initial request for help. There is no consensus on the best approach to take for review.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the variability in problem sets across different textbooks, which may affect the review strategy. There is also an underlying tension regarding communication styles and the framing of questions.

Who May Find This Useful

Students preparing for upper division Classical Mechanics courses, educators looking for insights on student preparation strategies, and individuals interested in problem-solving approaches in physics.

AD MCFC
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Hello, I will take Classical Mechanics I (upper division) course fall of 2017.

I have not seen Mechanics material since fall of 2014 and would like suggestions on how to review the concepts prior to taking the class.

I was pretty good in that class and do not need to "re-learn" anything per say, but would simply like to go through a handful of problems per each chapter. Where should I take these problems from? Any suggestions?

Thanks
 
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AD MCFC said:
but would simply like to go through a handful of problems per each chapter.

Why just a handful? If you've mastered the material, it shouldn't take all that long to do all of them, especially if you have a year. If you haven't mastered the material, maybe it's a good idea to spend some time on it.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Why just a handful? If you've mastered the material, it shouldn't take all that long to do all of them, especially if you have a year. If you haven't mastered the material, maybe it's a good idea to spend some time on it.
"All of them", does this mean do the 120 problems found at the end of each chapter in your typical heavy intro physics textbook? Explain what you mean here.
I would prefer you answer the question and not get philosophical here. Otherwise, save your time and do not answer it at all.
 
AD MCFC said:
save your time and do not answer it at all.

Gee, that makes we want to give you another piece of advice.
 
Well I apologize, but you did not seem quite interested in giving advice in the first place.
You are telling me to do every problem without specifying where these problems are coming from. Some intro books have hundreds of problems per chapter, while an AP review book might have like 20.

If you were me, which resources would you refer to ? Etc.
 
Pro-tip, being rude to people is not going to make them want to help you.

But to your question, if you have a textbook to work from, do as many problems from each section as you feel you need to be sure you've mastered the material. If that means you only do a few questions from chapter 1 or whatever because it's easy for you, fine, move on to the next. Only you can know how prepared you are.
 

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