IDE 150 A,B,C                                                              Dr. Ralph E. Flori

ENGINEERING DYNAMICS                                    Asst. Dean of Engineering

FALL 2005                                                                    Assoc. Prof. of Interdisciplinary Engineering

                                                                                       101 ERL   (New office!)

                                                                                       Phone:      Office:     341-7583   (New phone!)

                                                                                                        Home:     341-2617

                                                                                       E-mail:      reflori@umr.edu

 

OFFICE HOURS:  Officially 2:00-4:00 PM Monday and Wednesday, but you can also drop in, or make an appointment by phone, e-mail, or in class.  As a first resort, communicate with me via phone or e-mail.  It’s easy, and many questions can be answered this way.  You are welcome to call me at home (before 10:00 PM, please). 

GRADING:    Grades are based on the following:

Homework and Short Quizzes               16%

4 Exams @ 16% each                          64%

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 IDE 150 course web site is located at http://web.umr.edu/~reflori/be150/lessons/index.htm.  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:  Dynamics is often dreaded by students, but you can succeed in it.  My goal is to help you enjoy and master Dynamics.  Yes, this really is possible!  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 Interdisciplinary 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 Interdisciplinary Engineering Building (formerly Basic Engineering Building).