BE 140 A, B STATICS & DYNAMICS SPRING 2003

Dr. Ralph E. Flori Assoc. Prof. of Basic Engineering 203 Basic Engineering Building Phone:     Office:  341-4588                Home:  341-2617 E-mail:  reflori@umr.edu

 

OFFICE HOURS:  2:30-3:30 PM MTWRF officially, but you can also drop in, or make an appointment by phone, e-mail, or in class.  You are welcome to call me at home (before 10:00 PM, please).  As a first resort, communicate with me via phone or e-mail.  It’s easy, and most questions can be answered this way.  Any e-mail questions I receive that would benefit the rest of the class, I will forward to everyone else.  (Don’t worry; I won’t disclose the person’s name who asked the question.)

GRADING:    Grades are based on the following:

Homework and Short Quizzes               15%

5 Exams @ 13% each                          65%

Required Departmental Final                 20%

Almost every class period I will collect homework problems (I will tell you the ones to be collected).  Occasionally I will give you an in-class quiz.  Unannounced quizzes are possible but unlikely.  Generally there will be no make-up quizzes.  At least one of the quiz/homework grades will be dropped.  Crib sheets may not be used on the quizzes;  I will provide formulas for anything that is difficult to remember.  The best preparation you can do for the quizzes is to attend classes and work the homework problems.

HOMEWORK HELPS AVAILABLE ON WEB:  The BE 140 course web site is located at http://www.umr.edu/~reflori/public.htm/be140.  Find it linked off of my home page at ~reflori.  It will have some notes, practice problems, homework problem helps, and old exams and quizzes.  The “homework helps” will give you hints, answers, and other helpful information on each problem to save you from long periods of staring at homework wondering how to get started.  Please, DO NOT COPY solutions from the web.  This is unethical and foolish.  Always try the problem yourself first.  Refer to the solution ONLY after you have gotten stuck, and use it only to get unstuck.  Getting stuck (finding out what you don’t know) is an important step in the learning process. 

GRADING SCALE:  Grades will approximately follow the standard 90% A, 80% B, 70% C, 60% D, <60% F scale.  Exams will be prepared and graded to fall in this range.

CRIB SHEETS:  These may be used on hour exams and on the final.  One 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper, front and back, may be used for formulas, constants, etc.  Do not include example problems.  Turn this in with your test;  it will be returned.

IMPORTANT:  Statics is fairly easy and you will do well in it, as long as you keep up with the homework.  Dynamics is somewhat harder, often dreaded by students, but you can succeed in it, too.  My goal is to help you enjoy and master both Statics and Dynamics.  Together we can do it!  I will do my best to make the concepts clear to you in class, to provide helpful teaching handouts and aids, and to be available to help if you have questions.  I ask you to work hard, to always attend class, and to keep up with the homework.  Be early for class;  coming in late is disruptive and disrespectful.

ATTENDANCE:  Most students attend class faithfully, but there are occasionally some who miss a class here or there, and then begin missing more and more classes.  The Basic Engineering department has a policy to drop students for excessive absences.  Please, be in class.

NOTE:  If you have problems with this course that cannot be handled by you and me, feel free to consult with the department chairman, Dr. D. R. Fannin ( drf@umr.edu ).  His office is in 107 Basic Engineering.