Upgrading my High School Physics mark

[Starrk]

Hi Physics Forum! This is my first post
I enrolled in adult education for Pre-calculus 12 and Physics 12.
My marks weren't too good coming out of high school because of personal reasons. Anyway, in terms of Pre-calculus I can do it with my eyes closed. But when it comes to physics all I can do in class is keep my eyes closed.I took physics 12 back in High school but dropped out because of time table issues. I took physics 11 and didn't understand a single topic but managed to pass with an 80%. But, Physics 12 is just a mess and I'm not to sure where to start:

• The first test of the course was a review of physics 11 (Kinematics, 2D Vectors, and Dynamics) which I scored 22/37.
• The second test was on (what I understand to be) Circular motion, Work, Energy, Power, Momentum, and Gravitation and my mark is not worth mentioning
• And the coming test is on Torque, Equilibrium, and I believe Static Electricity

So the problem is I don't understand what's going on in class. I'm in a really bad spot because I need this mark! I'm planning on going into Human Kinetics and I also need to upgrade other courses but Physics is a priority for me. I am open to any form of advice as to how to grasp this course. I do get a rewrite for one test at the end of the term so I can't afford to low ball another test.

 

[Stephen Tashi]

You mention pre-calculus, but not calculus. Does the material in the physics course use calculus? Does it attempt to introduce calculus?

 

[jedishrfu]

Short-term:

1) Go to Khan Academy and start watching videos and doing problems related to your upcoming test.

in parallel with step 1 do steps 2 thru 4.

2) Work with other students to study for the upcoming test. Make sure you an do all the assigned homework.

3) Look at the example problems in the book and make sure you understand and can reproduce them without referring to the book.

4) Look other problems that weren't assigned and see if you an do them. Figure out what you don't know and focus on learning it.

Longer-term prepping for your final or mid-term:

5) Go back through your tests and identify what you got wrong work with other students or get a tutor to help you understand why you got them wrong.

6) Go back through your homeworks again and making you can do them.

7) Go back through your book and look at the example problems and make sure you can do them

8) REview Khan Academy videos related to each topic that gave you

** DON'T dwell too long spinning your wheels on a problem you can't do note it, skip and get help later.

8) Write down key formulas that you may need for your test and keep them in mind as you do your problems.

Test time:

9) Write down any hard to remember formulas or facts somewhere on your test paper so you can easily refer to them. It shouldn't be more than a few lines at most.

10) Keep time management in mind, allotting X minutes per problem. Do the easier ones first, skip the harder ones and go back to do them.

** Remember you're trying to optimize the number of problems you do right in the time allotted.