Exam 1

(This is a reproduction of the email message sent to everyone on October, 16.  Note the exam date = October 23, Friday)
This email message is to give you a short guide on how to prepare for exam 1. 
Please make sure that you know how to do (1) examples/quizzes that I discussed in class (they may or may not be in my lecture notes on the web! -- please check your notebook), and (2) homework problems.  
If you can do them alone [i.e. all by yourself] without memorizing any equations other than the cribsheet equations (see "Course Materials" in WebCT), you are in excellent shape for the exam.  The exam will cover materials in my lecture notes 1-6, chapters 1-3 of the textbook, and homework sets #1 and #2.  Important topic titles are "1D kinematics (free fall), vectors, circular motion, relative velocity, projectile motion."  
My exam will consist of 3 problems.  Each problem will be very very similar, if not identical, to either one of my examples in class or one of my homework problems, excluding extra credit problems.  For each problem, you will need to show your complete work how you go from the basic equations in the cribsheet to your solution.  You would need to clearly define the coordinate system (the orientation and the origin), and to show coherence in your solution so that a knowledgeable person (TA) can clearly see your understanding of the physics.  Use my homework solutions as a study guide, but not as something that you want to memorize to "reproduce exactly."  You may have to "fill in the gap" for some of my homework solutions, if or since they are "a bit too brief."  If you just scribble something here and there, without really being coherent, then you may get close to 0 points.  
Any equation other than those given in the cribsheet will have to be derived from the cribsheet equations.  For instance, h = v02/(2g) for a ball tossed into air will have to be derived.  (The equation v2 - v02 = 2a (x-x0) can be used to derive it.)  Also, the equation such as d = v02 sin(2 heta)/g will have to be fully derived.  There will be no problem solely dedicated to the sig-fig, but showing your understanding of the sig-fig will be part of some problems, and you may be deducted some points if you mis-treat sig-figs.  
You can, and should, bring your calculator, memory cleared. 
Lastly, note that the deadline for homework #2 is extended to 10/20/09 07:00 pm (note the different time).