What This Guide Covers ›
This guide focuses on vectors, algebra and calculus preparation, physical intuition, and how to approach physics problems before entering formal coursework.
Before Starting Physics in College ›
Before Solving Physics Problems on Exams
Before attempting to solve physics problems—specifically on exams, you must
1) Extract all bold words and related formulae,
2) thoroughly read the book one paragraph at a time,
3) work each example question, and
4) attend the lecture.
Once you have completed steps 1-4 (as suggested in the ‘How to Study’ section), you are ready to tackle homework problems and prepare yourself for exams.
Follow this generalized algorithmic flow for solving problems in physics:
- Read the question backwards
- Identify Keywords and Significant Figures, then
[1st – Extract Data] 50% of the credit on exams.
| Given (directly give) | Need (indirectly give) | Seeking |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
To understand what is needed in part 1, acceleration is given, the planet Mars is the location, so we “need” the gravitational constant for Mars. The question asks for velocity.
[2nd – Formulate Data] 50% of the credit on exams.
[3rd – State the Answer] 0% of the credit on exams (but no credit without it).
It is important to be neat and methodical with all solutions. A structured solution—even if incorrect—will be worth a lot more points than chicken scratch garbage written by a child stuck in an adult’s body.
The biggest mistake students make when solving physics problems at the undergraduate core-course level is reading the question first. It is not necessary to read the question until you have extracted and located all the information required to solve it.
Do not read the question unless necessary. Usually, the question will solve itself like a puzzle after you identify each component and the missing components. Then, you will arrive at a puzzle with a missing piece. The missing piece is often the unknown variable, which is simply found when you have all the other known variables. Two equations and two unknowns can be solved, but two equations with 3 unknowns cannot. You must put the puzzle together until it is solvable. This usually happens naturally when following an algorithmic approach—that is, no thinking required!