-
Bring your 2026 application questions to our open office hours with Emil Chuck, PhD, Director of Advising Services for HPSA, and get them answered live. Personal statements, secondaries, interview prep, school list strategy. Sunday, May 17 at 9 p.m. Eastern.
kinematic tricks
Started by Timorito
Kinematic equations involve the interplay of four key variables, X V A and T. Some other variables pop in from time to time, like X0 and V0, but focus on the big four.
Each of the four kinematics equations, by itself, only involves three of those big four variables.
When given a kinematics problem, you are usually given two variables, asked for a third variable, and the fourth is never even mentioned. Use this to quickly figure out which equation to use.
Nobody cares about acceleration?
X = X0 + (V + V0)T/2
Nobody talking about time?
V^2 = V0^2 + 2A(X - X0)
etc
Each of the four kinematics equations, by itself, only involves three of those big four variables.
When given a kinematics problem, you are usually given two variables, asked for a third variable, and the fourth is never even mentioned. Use this to quickly figure out which equation to use.
Nobody cares about acceleration?
X = X0 + (V + V0)T/2
Nobody talking about time?
V^2 = V0^2 + 2A(X - X0)
etc
