Tips for preparing for the AP physics C mechanics exam

[pakmingki]

i have about 6 weeks to study, so, what should do?
what prep books would you guys recommend?
how much time should i spend prepping everyday?

 

[DyslexicHobo]

I'm taking the same test in a few weeks. My class is preparing just by doing practice problems (exam questions from previous tests).

Just out of curiosity, what are you hoping to score?

 

[pakmingki]

im hoping to score a 5. I've been improving a lot, and i think with a lot of practice, i can succeed.

 

[DyslexicHobo]

I'll be hoping for a 5, as long as I don't screw up on springs. Hah-- screw...spring... :P Sorry bad joke.

But yeah, springs ALWAYS give me problems for some reason. Probably because I had the flu the week we went over them, and never really bothered to learn them properly.

I really don't know whether or not I want to take it (or at least use my test for credits at college), because I'll be majoring in Mech. Eng. Physics is pretty much the basis for my major, and I don't want to have a weak foundation. I'm afraid that my first college Physics course might be more than just what I needed for the AP test, and then I'll start off behind.

Does anyone have input on this?

 

[pakmingki]

yea, i am a bit worried about that, and not just about physics. I am taking the ap calc ab exam, and a 5 on that (for my college) allows me to skip ahead to the 3rd quarter of calculus, and I am pretty sure if i do that, ill start off way behind, cause skipping the 2nd quarter of college calc would mean skipping all the stuff on series and maclaurin/taylor stuff.

But honeslty, i really don't think you will be behind in physics. In the college sequence for engineernig majors, the first physics course is the mechanics component, and if you get a good enough score on the AP exam, you will most likely just start off on the 2nd component, which is E and M. If you can do well on the AP test, i think you will have a pretty good foundation for EM.