### Abstract

Calculus and mechanics are often taught as separate subjects. It shouldn’t be like that. If you learn calculus without mechanics, it will be boring. If you learn physics without calculus, you won’t truly understand.

I think I may have found a way to solve this chicken and egg problem. It goes a little something like this:

1. Chapter 1. You need [solving_equations,algebra,quadratic_equation] to do physics. That is all the prerequisites for first year Physics.
2. Chapter 2. Physics laws are expressed as equations. If you know how to solve equations, then you know how to solve physics equations. In particular we will study the kinematics equations x(t), v(t), a(t) which describe  the motion of an objects.
• The kinematics concepts are: t, x(t), v(t), a(t), x_i, v_i. The equations of UAM are: a(t)=a, v(t)=v_i+at, x(t)=x_i+v_it+0.5at^2. Definition: free fall, an object on which only the force of gravity acts. Such objects experience a constant downwards acceleration of magnitude 9.81[m/s^2].  Examples: ball falling, car acceleration, ball being thrown downward. Equations are cool, but where do they come from? In order to find out we must take a short excursion into calculus-land.
• Calculus is the study of functions. We use calculus in order to do describe how quantities change over time (derivatives $\frac{d}{dt}$) or to find the total amount of quantities that vary over time (integration $\int \cdot\;dt$). Integral as an area. Examples: f(t)=3, F(t)=3t. g(t)=t, G(t)=0.5t^2. But why integrals?
• Integrals are the inverse operation of the derivative. In analogy with the techniques in [solving_equations] where we applied the inverse functions to solve equation and find the unknown number, we can apply the integral operation in order to undo a derivative operations in equations.
• Since we have been studying kinematics in this chapter, we now get to see where the kinematics equations of motion come from. We start from F=ma. Recall that our goal is to find x(t). Let us therefore rewrite F=ma(t) so that we can see the x in there F=mx”(t). F is not equal to x. F is equal to the second derivative of x. But no problem. We just learned that integrals are the inverse operation of derivatives, so if we want to solve for x(t) in F=mx”(t) we can do it! First we divide both sides by m, in order to isolate the x expression on the right F/m = x”(t). Then apply the integration operation twice in order to undo the two derivative operations.
• In particular, let us consider the case when F=const and m=const which implies that  then a(t)=const=a. The equation we have to solve is F/m = a=x”(t). Applying the integration operation to both sides of this equation we get at+C=x'(t). By definition x'(t)=v(t) so the constant C can be identified as the initial value v(0)=v_i. Applying the integration operation to both sides a second time gives us 0.5at^2 + v_it + x_i = x(t). This is how the UAM equations are derived: F=ma and two integration steps.
• Main idea of this book: understand the math + physics is easier than just learning physics by memorizing the equations. With memorization, you would need to remember three equations of motion as separate entities. If you understand derivatives and integrals then you can remember just one equation a(t)=a, which is not much to remember since it is in the name UAM.
• We have now seen kinematics in one dimension. But the real world is three dimensional so we need to learn about the math for dealing with objects in 3D.
3. Chapter 3:Vectors.
4. Chapter 4: Now that we know about vectors we can discuss more physics.
• Projectile motion. The position of the object is now a vector r(t)=[x(t),y(t)]. There are two separate sets of kinematics equations. x(t) is UVM (since no forces in the hz direction) while y(t) is UAM (a_y=-9.81 due to the force of gravity).
• Introduce dynamics F=ma. Forces cause acceleration. Forces. Force diagrams.
• Momentum.
• Energy.
• Uniform circular motion.
• Angular motion.
• SHM.

The structure in Chapter 2 is the only new thing. After that, Chapter 4 is pretty much a standard course through the mechanics curriculum. So how is Chapter 2 so special, as to be worth blogging about at 2:44 in the morning?

I will tell you in point form, because it is kind of late indeed:

• It connects nicely with the Precalculus chapter. You just learned how to solve equations for 50 pages, and now I am telling you that you can do physics with this equation solving skill. Yey! Math is useful.
• Then we introduce a bit of basic kinematics concepts x, v, a and the equations of motion. But then we say where did these equations come from (this is kind of a weak point?). To tell you, we must learn Calculus.
• Bam — drette là — we do a mini course on calculus in 5 pages. Integrals with pictures and FTC. Sure it is complicated but the analogy to f and f-inverse should make it go through.
• Then show derivation of x(t) via int( int(F/m) ). I can use the exact integral formula since students just saw those formulas as pictures 4 pages ago so they can’t say “i don’t know integrals”.
• Having this early exposure to integrals also helps with the work and potential energy section later on in Chapter 4.
• Basically the 5-page mini introduction to integral calculus is sufficient to do calculus-based mechanics course. The sin/cos derivative info and the chain rule required for deriving the SHM is presented in a just-in-time manner (i.e. in the last chapter).

But who am-I to say what is and isn’t a good way to teach. Only the students can tell me.

### Starting a revolution

It is 10PM on a Thursday night and I have 200+ pages worth of corrections to go though in order to get v3.0 of the math and physics compendium in shape for printing. No sleep till Brooklyn!

I am tired, but I will persevere. Starting a revolution has never been easy.

### December launch

I realize that it is a little late to launch an “educational product” one week before the finals, but it must be done. Besides, I think next week will be a sweet spot for exam prep.

 Get an A 

This will be the new marketing line. Six characters — if this were twitter, I would have 134 characters left ;).

### Mechanics explained in seven pages

I finally managed to complete the Mechanics Tutorial which I have been working on for the past couple of weeks. I am pretty proud of the result. The material from the entire Mechanics class is covered in just seven pages. This should illustrate to my future clients that they don’t need to read a 500 page book to learn mechanics.

All we can do now is wait and see if people will get in touch with me.