Calculator

[Just Ben]

Hi
I'm just revising forces and am up to deceleration

It's all pretty comprehendable, i just wondered when you're at college are you allowed to use a calculators or is it like school where you get calculator and non-calculator tests? I ask because although i understand how to do the equations i get stuck when i have to do sums with point numbers (i.e. 12 x .87) also in terms of deceleration you have to divide by minus numbers

Now this is easy when you've go: "A truck decelerates from 25m/s to 5m/s in 5s" But if the truck decelerated from 28.5m/s to 4.8m/s in 5.2s then i would deffinately need a calculator. Or is it a case of rounding the numbers? (I imagine you have to bee pretty precise though.)

Thanks

Ben

[size4riggerboots]

Re: Calculator

You can use a calculator!

[Just Ben]

Re: Calculator

Thanks.

I'm guessing you need a scientific one (think i still have mine). As I'm guessingy you're not allowed to use the one on your phone in an exam.

[size4riggerboots]

Re: Calculator

You guess correctly!

[CharlieDelta]

Re: Calculator

Hi Ben,

If you're doing the HND at Warsash the first thing to say is don't worry too much about maths - it's a quite gentle introduction and they take it right from the beginning. I believe you'll have the same lecturer as me, and if you do she's very comprehensive - everything that needs to be covered will be covered and there's tutorial sessions if you have problems. You'll go through a few trees worth of paper with the amount of exercises given in the course notes.

Your college joining instructions will come with a maths CD, but if you want to revise beforehand I'd suggest:
- Basic stuff like BODMAS
- Area/volume questions (mensuration)
- Algebra (linear equations, forming and solving etc...)
- Transposition of formulae
- Trigonometry (SOH CAH TOA, Sine Rule, Cosine Rule)
- Vectors (Space diagrams, resolving, equilibrium etc...)
- Graphs (Straight line, curves, plotting, finding the equation of a line, etc...)
- Interpolation

These are the main things. n top of this, you'll do spherical trigonometry - I suggest not even trying to look at that as you'll confuse yourself - let them explain it to you here, it only takes an hour's lesson and isn;t half as daunting as it sounds.

As for calculators, you can use a scientific, non-programmable calculator. Most people go for a Casio FX-Something.

Good luck!

[Brimbo]

Re: Calculator

Like previously said you can use a calculator for all your tests, thyere also great for hiding little cheat sheets inside too

[Just Ben]

Re: Calculator

@Size4. Thanks

@CharlieDelta. I haven't been to school for a while so i thought i'd refresh myself, but it's good to know that they ease you into it. spherical trigonometry sounds pretty scary, i think i'll wait for that.

@Brimbo. I remember back at school we always had to put the calculator covers on the floor. no notes for us lol

[Brimbo]

Re: Calculator

They say that in STC,but for phase 1 95% of lecturers aren't to bothered if you cheat or not, a number of lessons are just fillers anyways and no real help to any part of your career