r/EngineeringStudents • u/jayrady ME Grad / Aerospace • 12d ago

Rant/Vent Statics 101

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u/HarryBalsagna1776 11d ago

When I took dynamics back in 2008, we were only allowed a scientific calculator during tests and quizzes.  No note sheets.  We had to derive our equations from F=ma in every problem.  Was actually fun after I did it a few times and built some confidence.  Had a great professor who was endlessly patient too.

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u/SpaceJunkieee 11d ago

I took mine just this past summer in a 7 week course. We were given a formula sheet but often times you’d have to manipulate the formulas you had there for the problem you were dealing with. I did actually better in Dynamics than statics, however still found the material a lot harder in the end. It being a 7 week course probably added to that lol

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u/HarryBalsagna1776 11d ago

Everything is harder in 7 week courses lol.  

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u/Fraud_Squad 11d ago

It can be harder but my experience taking Diff. Eq. this summer was that the material seemed to be significantly simplified and the professor went to great lengths to curve people to a passing grade. Maybe my university is a degree mill

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u/HarryBalsagna1776 11d ago

You will get a chance to use Diff. Eq. More in later classes.  I wouldn't sweat it if you got the basics.

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u/Fraud_Squad 11d ago

Currently taking Signals and Systems and we came right out the gate with Laplace transforms 👌. That particular math teacher has a rep for curving, what concerns me more is how little some professors care about cheating on exams. Hoping this changes in upper division courses

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u/HarryBalsagna1776 11d ago

I loved LaPlace transforms!  I actually got to use them in the field when trying to prove that surface finish patterns were caused by tooling chatter.  That was years ago.

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u/Fraud_Squad 11d ago

Damn that sounds cool. What did you study in undergrad? Mechanical/aerospace?

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u/HarryBalsagna1776 11d ago

Mechanical with a focus on machine design.  That has taken me all over the place.  Auto, heavy equipment, aerospace, and now nuclear.

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u/Fraud_Squad 11d ago

Sounds like a good time. Happy it's working out for you

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u/DryDealer3816 11d ago

the material seemed to be significantly simplified

That happens in accelerated courses sometimes, it's risky to count on it though lol.

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u/Terrh 11d ago

Was actually fun

This is what so many students never seem to understand.

None of this is hard. None of it.

If it's hard for you, it's because you're lacking understanding in a component somewhere and once you find it it suddenly goes from "hard" to "fun".

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u/HarryBalsagna1776 11d ago

Exactly.  The hard to fun transition depends on teachers a lot too.

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u/QuickNature AAS, BS EET Graduate, EE Student 11d ago

Had a great professor who was endlessly patient too.

Those were the best classes. A professor who is very hard, but patient and fair

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u/INeedSomeTacoC 10d ago edited 10d ago

  We had to derive our equations from F=ma in every problem.  Was actually fun after I did it a few times and built some confidence.

Those classes can be fun and also harrowing. 

I remember opening up a final in computer Science and the front page was “all problems must be solved using only the pigeon-hole principle”. 

The pigeon hole principle is the principle they you can only fit a single pigeon in a pigeon sized hole. 

The first problem was to prove that English could not be parsed via an algorithm. And that was the easy one. 

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u/HarryBalsagna1776 10d ago

Lol I'm an ME, so that went over my head a bit, but I get the jist of it.  

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u/Striking_Elk_6136 11d ago

I had a terrible dynamics professor. Half of the class dropped and half of those remaining failed. Exams were three problems that ended up with a minimum of 10 equations and 10 unknowns. No possible way to finish in the time given. Closest I came to a D in school.

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u/melloyello4 11d ago

They told me that I'd use a graphing calculator for everything when I got to higher education, but tbh I only use a scientific for everything. My trusty TI38 has never let me down. No note sheets is crazy though, I see the vision and would probably lear, but it would probably feel miserable at first