Solution Manuals...how can you use them wisely?

[yellowbird12]

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Hi I just cam from a talk with my physics professor. I have been taking the a physics with calculus course intended for engineering students. In my school the Physics for I think engineers mainly )course spans across three semesters In other words three different courses of physics covering different topics.

However, I am chemistry major, and in my school. The physics with algebra is not enough for the chem degree

I was told since I have taken two semesters of physics with algebra (including lab) previously they just told me that I either would need to take two physics courses with calculus for I believe biochem and chem majors ( with I think the labs )
Or
one course of the physics with calc geared towards engineering majors ( the 2nd class not all three semesters/classes.)

I didn’t do well on the first exam. So I was talking to the professor about using solutions manuals and he was like that its not good to use them. IT may help you with the homework but when it comes exam time…
The prof said he puts problems that he makes up so that you can just can’t memorize the solution.

So yeah…I need a strategy on how to do well in this course..

How do you think a solutions manual should be used?
Do you discourage using them or does it depend on the course?

But I never intended to memorize solutions, I wanted to use them to help me understand how to do problems.

He said that I’d would have to put a lot of effort into the class…

That to do the odd numbered problems but don’t use the solution manual he’d prefer I go to him or a TA to get help.

Though my concern is just having enough time to do these problems Without a solutions manual…


How can I use a solutions manual wisely? So that it will help me not atrophy my learning..?

 

[kpcrew]

I'm not understanding how you don't have time to do the problems. The point of the problems is so that you can synthesize what you learned in class and apply the concepts that you've learned. The way to learn the material is to go through the problems and see how far you get by notes, textbook, etc. The solutions manual should only be used if you absolutely cannot solve a question or if you want to check your work. Sometimes there are multiple ways to solve a problem and it might provide an alternate that is simpler to implement. Most things take time to learn and you will hopefully notice that the time you need to spend shortens with practice since you will most likely be solving the same type of question multiple times.

 

[EBTrailRunner]

I never used a solutions manual unless I was checking whether my answer was correct. If you're constantly referring to it, you never learn to struggle and work through your method for solving a particular problem - referring to your lecture notes, textbook, TA/professor, etc. And come test time, if you come across a problem you have no clue how to approach, you'll panic when you realize there's no solutions manual to fall back on.

TL;DR Only use your solutions manual to double-check your work.

 

[verynice]

In my physics class the Prof assigned unhealthy amounts of hw. I used cramster to help me get through a lot of it. Really, I feel like.the tests (at least in my class) were on a completely different level than the hw assigned. If I felt like I was iffy on a couple of things I would just go to my Prof and get help directly from him or test myself with the challenge problems (checking my answers with the solutions manual.) Furthermore, solution manuals can be helpful as long as you aren't just going directly to it as you're doing hw.. use them in order to guide you to the right answer so that you really learn the material. A lot of the time people will look at it and just say "oh, that makes sense" and pretend like they know how to do it. Really it's about if you can handle yourself with a book full of answers sitting feet away.

 

[yellowbird12]

well I guess maybe I have time management problem...

I really wanted to do all the problems or at least half of them (the odd problems)
theres I think around 80 problems per chapter

I wanted to use cramster to help me with the problems

He doesn't assign book problems..but instead we are assigned HW via MAsteringPhysics due each week and a HW problem due every week..

 

[MossyFiber]

I really wanted to do all the problems or at least half of them (the odd problems)
theres I think around 80 problems per chapter

There's a recipe for doing physics problems. You start this the instant the problem set is assigned:

Read over the problem. Write down the given values and the value(s) you have to find / solve for.

Go to whatever reference you're using. Write down the equations you need to solve the problem. At this point you may not be sure what to do. That's okay. Go to the next problem. If you've tried this with many of the problems, or you're out of time, you're done for now.

Take a few hours to do something else and think about your problem set in the back of your head. If you're going to class and run into someone who's also doing the problem set, take the opportunity to discuss how to solve it.

When you later come back to the problem set, try to actually solve the problems the best you can. Call your classmates for help if you need it. When you're out of time, have solved many problems or can't get any further, you're done for now.

Go to office hours / meet with a TA / meet with a really smart classmate to polish your solutions. After you are done with this, you should be done with the problem set.

THEN, and ONLY then, do you go to a solutions manual to find how a similar problem is solved.

 

[yellowbird12]

thanks for all the replies
I what I really need is to really scheduling time weeks before the exam to do these problems so I'll actually have time to really go over and do the problem, ask for help , etc...

BTW he does assign hw problems from the books just Mastering Physics and a written HW problem per week.

He suggested I do though at least the odd problems in the book and check at the back of the book to see if I got the answer. Instead of referring to a solutions manual he'd rather I go to him a or TA 's office hours to get help..

Solutions can be convenient though,,but I do understand that I need to develop problem solving strategies..and referring to the Solutions online or in a manual after just a few minutes of not understanding the problem is cheap and is proabably not going to be helpful in the long run...however the reason I think they are helpful is that sometime they can help understand how to do the problem ..key word understand.

But as I say again..I really do want to develop my problem solving skills...so

at the moment its just I need master and discipline my self to manage my time wisely so I can effectively practice study and do the homework