“Completing the square” is a math trick that works with the equations of parabolas and circles. It is occasionally handy when doing algebra or calculus.
Author Archives: Barry
Periodic Motion: Period, Frequency Angular Frequency
Any kind of motion where the same action is repeated over and over again counts as periodic motion. This includes circular motion, the swinging of a pendulum, Hooke’s Law motion (bouncing spring) and wave motion.
Capacitors in Parallel
An overview of electric charge, potential and capacitance of capacitors in parallel.
Capacitors in Series
An overview of the charge, potential, and capacitance of capacitors in series.
RC-Circuits 2: Short Term and Long Term Behavior
How to make sense of short-term and long-term behavior in RC circuits even when there is more than one resistor or capacitor.
This follows up from RC-Circuits Part 1:
RC-Circuits 1: Charging and Discharging a Capacitor
A basic explanation of what happens. Learn to derive all the equations you need, even if you don’t understand differential equations. Continue reading
Heat Capacity & Specific Heat
(2 videos) What exactly are “heat capacity,” “specific heat” and “specific heat capacity?”
(Hint: “specific heat” and “specific heat capacity” are the same thing.) Continue reading
Quotient Rule Shortcuts
(video) Many derivative problems that appear to require the quotient rule can actually be solved another way that is quicker and easier. Continue reading
Derivative Notation
(video) Making sense of the multiple different notations commonly used to express derivatives in calculus. Continue reading
The x^-1 button is your friend
(video) A quick example to show just how handy the x-1 button on your TI calculator can be…
Continue reading