Re: math in physics classes

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#2039

From: STEVE BASKAUF, HARPETH H.S., KIN...
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1993 12:28

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One year I taught addition of vectors by adding the components.  My
students thought it was extremely difficult because there were so many
steps involved.  So I returned to using law of sines and cosines for non-
perpendicular vectors "because that was the way the book (Merrill) did it".
The kids found that easier because they were already familiar with these
two laws from math classes that they had already had.  I later found out
from a former student (who had been taught the law of sines/cosins method)
who was studying engineering that one of the big gaps in his knowledge of
vectors was that he hadn't learned how to add vectors using components.

So, I'm not sure which method would be considered "higher math" by your
administrator based on this.

Steve Baskauf

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From:         "STEVE BASKAUF, HARPETH H.S., KINGSTON SPRINGS,
              TN" <BASKAUS@CTRVAX.VANDERBILT.EDU>
Subject: Re: math in physics classes
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