Chabot College Physics

Mastering Physics Math Tips

Scott Hildreth

1) System Requirements

2) Entering Math

3) Function Shortcuts

4) Significant Figures & Numbers

Entering Math:

When a problem requires an algebraic answer, the Math Palette appears in the answer box.

The Math Palette buttons do the following:

	Allows you to click and drag within the math palette, to move the current expression.
	Opens menu allowing you to insert a lowercase Greek letter. In our class, you'll often need greek symbols: e (epsilon) and, e₀ (epsilon "naught") m (mu) and m₀(mu"naught") l (lambda), s (sigma), and r (rho)
	Opens menu allowing you to insert an uppercase Greek letter.
	Opens menu allowing you to insert a square root, cube root, fraction, superscript, subscript, parentheses, brackets, or absolute value bars. You can also select text and then select an item on this menu bar. The selected text appears at the position of the x on the selected item. To leave this mode, for example to leave subscripting, press the right-arrow key on your keyboard.
	Opens menu allowing you to insert a trigonometric function or logarithm. Remember that all arguments of trigonometric functions and results of inverse trigonometric functions are given in radians.
	Opens menu allowing you to insert a vector. Highlight a variable before using this button to apply a vector arrow to the variable, or remove an existing vector arrow.
	Clears the math palette.
	Opens this Help topic.

You can use the following shortcuts with the Math Palette:

Type...	to produce...
sqrt	square root sign
^	superscript (e.g., exponent)
_	subscript
sin, cos	trigonometric special functions, e.g. sin, cos (works for all special functions)

You can also use a built-in calculator to evaluate a numeric expression.

MasteringPhysics automatically calculates the numeric value of expressions, if appropriate, whether an answer uses the ordinary answer box or the Math Palette.

MasteringPhysics does require that if you are using the calculator function, the argument of any trig function must be in radians, not degrees. That is, if the assignment is to find the x-component of a vector of length 10 at 30 degrees above the horizontal, MasteringPhysics will accept "10*cos(pi/3)", but not "10*cos(30)".

Note: The Math Palette requires the Flash Player, version 7 or higher. You can download the latest version of the Flash Player at http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashplayer/ .

Special Functions:

Mathematical answers can include special functions. The argument of the function can be a number, variable, or more complicated math expression as needed to answer the question. For easy reference, the supported functions are listed below.

Notes:

•	All arguments and results of trigonometric and inverse trigonometric special functions are in radians.

•	The functions are case-sensitive. When you enter them, be sure to use lowercase.

•	Do not use the ^ operator to enter inverse trigonometric functions. Expressions like sin^-1(x) are invalid and will not be recognized by MasteringPhysics

abs(x) - absolute value	sqrt(x) - square root	log(x) - common logarithm (base 10)
exp(x) or e^(x) - exponential		ln(x) - natural logarithm (base e)
sin(x) - sine	asin(x) or arcsin(x) - arcsine	csc(x) - cosecant (1/sin(x))
cos(x) - cosine	acos(x) or arccos(x) - arccosine	sec(x) - trigonometric secant
tan(x) - tangent	atan(x) or arctan(x) - arctangent	cot(x) - trigonometric cotangent

Significant Figures & Entering Numbers

Some questions in MasteringPhysics require simple numerical answers like 37 or 1.56.

By default, a numerical answer to a question must be within 2% of the official MasteringPhysics answer in order to be graded correct. If you have computed the answer correctly, you can ensure that you are within 2% by entering it using at least three significant figures. If higher precision is required, or lower precision is allowed, it will be noted in the problem text.

If your answer is within 2%, but does not exactly match the correct answer, it will be recorded as correct but the official correct answer will be displayed so that you can use it, if needed, in later parts of the problem.

Note: Your answer may be graded incorrect if you have performed the correct calculation but rounded your answer to too few significant digits. Use at least three significant figures in your answers unless otherwise specified or unless the exact answer can be expressed using fewer than three significant figures.

Here are some other guidelines for numeric answers:

•	If the program asks for several answers in a particular order, such as numeric order, your answers must appear in that order. MasteringPhysics uses string matching in grading this sort of answers and will grade them wrong if they are not in the proper order.

•	MasteringPhysics may expect the answer in different units from the question. For example, a question may be asked in m/s and the answer asked for in cm/s.

•	Do not include currency symbols or units with a numerical answer unless explicitly instructed to do so. Enter 5000 instead of $5000, 10 instead of 10 feet

•	Do not use commas for large numbers. Enter 125000 instead of 125,000. Commas are reserved for answers involving two or more numbers, such as the coordinates of a point in a plane. You'll be told when you need them.

Basic system requirements

WINDOWS

MACINTOSH

250 MHz CPU

233 MHz CPU

Windows 2000, ME, XP

MacOS 9.2, 10.2, 10.3

64 MB RAM

Browsers (click on name to download current version):

•	Firefox 1.5, 2.0

•	Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 2, 6.0, 7.0

•	Netscape 7.0, 7.1, 7.2

•	Mozilla 1.7

Browsers (click on name to download current version):

•	Firefox 1.5, 2.0

•	Netscape 7.0, 7.1, 7.2

•	Mozilla 1.7

•	Safari 1.3, 2.0

If you use AOL to access the Internet

•	Use version 4.0 or greater

•	Turn off the "Use Compressed Graphics" option under My AOL>> Preferences>> WWW

•	Sign on using AOL. Then minimize it (do not close) and open either Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator.

Screen Resolution

This site requires a minimum screen resolution of 1024 pixels wide by 768 pixels high.

•	Macintosh users: Check and adjust the screen resolution in the Monitors Control Panel.

•	Windows users: Check and adjust the screen resolution in Settings > Control Panel > Display > Settings.

The Flash player, version 8, must be installed. Test the version of your Flash player at http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/welcome/ . (You do not need to install Shockwave, only the Flash player.) If you do not have Flash 8, download it using the link on the same page, then test to make sure it has been installed.

Pop-up windows must be allowed for our site.

To allow MasteringPhysics pop-up windows in FireFox

1.	Go to Tools > Options > Content.

2.	Check to see whether Block Popup Windows is on.

3.	Click on Allowed Sites to the right of Block Popup Windows and add the following URL:

session.masteringphysics.com

4.	Click on Allow, then Close, then OK.

To allow pop-up windows in Internet Explorer:

1.	Click on Tools/Pop-up Blocker.

2.	Click Pop-up Blocker Settings.

3.	Type the appropriate site URL in the Address of Web site to allow box: session.masteringphysics.com

4.	Click Add.

You may have other pop-up blockers enabled, for example through the Yahoo Toolbar or Google Toolbar. You must also disable them or allow pop-ups for us.

If you filter cookies, you must allow session cookies to be set for us. For instructions on allowing session cookies for various browsers, see www.masteringhelp.com .

Javascript must be enabled for our site. For instructions on enabling Javascript for various browsers, see www.masteringhelp.com .

SH - 8/07

Physics 4C

Back to Chabot College