4/24/08: Final Exam in less than two weeks....Exam will be comprehensive, and balanced across all subjects covered during the semester, including free, damped, and forced vibrations.  Sample exams are available under the "Exams" section of this website.

Manufacturing: SIGN IN on the form posted on the bulletin board in Prince Lab (just across from the table with the nuts, washers, etc.).  Each team member must sign-in in person.  When the entire team has signed in, get the TA signature.

Design Contest: the preliminary designs will not be graded.  Their submission is to ensure that a design exists and has been done within constraints and provides ample time for construction, testing, and evolution to a final design.  So, START BUILDING!

SPECIAL OFFICE HOURS:  Prof. Curtin will be available Wed. 11-12 and 4:30-6:00.  Prof. McCarthy has his regular hours on Wednesday.  Shuman Xia will have hours 7:30-9:00pm on Wednesday, planned for BH 168 but perhaps moved.  Rassin Grantab will be in the Computer Lab 9-10pm on Wed to take questions.

Manufacturing Times for DESIGN CONTEST: Sign-up before April 18, but slots are on a first-come, first-serve basis.  We will look into overlapping.  We realize not all team members can make an entire 4 hour slot, but teams must do the best they can, and each team member is required to spend the minimum time in the lab working on the project.

DESIGN CONTEST info is now posted.  Team sign-ups are due Friday, April 11.  Sign-up outside Rm096.  The preliminary design is due on April 21.

If you left your textbook with Nitin Jadhav yesterday, please see him to get it back!

Lab #1 Grading: The mean grade has been set to an 80.  All differences among graders (some graded very easily and others quite harshly) have been normalized out by having each grader normalize to a mean of 80.  Also, some of the grade sheets have an original total of 100 points and others 110 points.  So, a student receiving a score of 98 on a gradesheet with 110 points from an easy grader (average of 95) would have received a final  re-normalized grade of 98*(80/95)=83.  Conversely, a student receiving a score of 61 on a gradesheet with 100 points from a hard grader (average of 70) would have received a final re-normalized grade of 61*(80/70)=70.  This is all entirely "fair", even though the first student sees what appears to be a significant decrease in the number grade.  As for the exams, there is no A/B/C scale associated with specific grade ranges.  Final grades for the course are determined by the posted rubric, with grades well above average meriting A and well below meriting C, and far below not meriting any credit.  What constitutes "well above" and "well below" is at the discretion of the Professors, as always.  

LAB #2 Problem solution is available here

The ASTM Standard needed for the lab will be available from Prof. Curtin.  Please stop by and pick up a copy starting Friday.

  Lab #2 HW problem discussed in detail in the appendix of the lab description is due on Tuesday (3/18/08). This is separate from the regular homework assignment.

  3/8/08: There is NO homework due on Tuesday, 3/11/08.

  3/7/08: Sign up for Lab #2.  The earlier, the better, as desirable slots will fill up (there is a sign up sheet outside Room 096) . 

3/7/08: The second DYNAMICS CHALLENGE is here: Dyn Chal. #2 due on 3/21/08.  "Dynamics Challenges" are extra credit problems that go beyond the level of the HWs.  They may have more design content and are more difficult, often involving numerical solutions.  A complete solution to one Dynamics Challenge problem will contribute 1.5 pts to a student's overall class grade.

3/4/08: MIDTERM EXAM on THURSDAY in class.  You may use your own notes and your own HWs, plus two sides of a normal sheet of paper for condensed reference information as you see fit.

  2/21/08: There IS homework due for next Tuesday...See HW section

ERROR: See updated Dynamics Challenge (like below) for corrections to the air density and to the second equation for acceleration!!  Thanks to an alert EN 4 student.....

2/16/08: Due to the long weekend, TA hours will be shifted to mid-week, as follows:  Mr. Xia 4:30-6:30 Tuesday; Mr. Kitchner 8-10 Tuesday; Mr. Cipoletti 8-10 Wed; Mr. Grantab Tu 4-6; others to follow but likely shifts will be Sun-->Tues, Mon-->Wed.

2/16/08: If you left something in the lab yesterday, send Prof. Curtin an e-mail telling him what it was.

2/15/08: NOTE: HW is due next Thursday (see the Calendar, where all due dates are clearly shown).

2/8/08: The first DYNAMICS CHALLENGE is here: Dyn Chal. #1  due on 2/22/08.  "Dynamics Challenges" are extra credit problems that go beyond the level of the HWs.  They may have more design content and are more difficult, often involving numerical solutions.  A complete solution to one Dynamics Challenge problem will contribute 1.5 pts to a student's overall class grade.

2/4/08: SIGN UP FOR LAB #1 TODAY: sign-up sheet is posted outside of Rm 096 of Giancarlo Lab.

1/29/08: Homework Solutions: Each problem should be written out carefully and in an ordered logical sequence, showing all important steps.  Use lined paper, or graph paper.  Do not show attempts, scratch work, etc.  Work the problems out on scratch paper and then write a final, clean solution for submission.  Think of each HW as a report being submitted to someone (boss, colleague) who needs to know the solution to the problem and to clearly understand how you arrived at your solution.  Imagine that this person is not an expert in the field like you are, but is technically knowledgable.  Use the HW solutions each week to guide you in the style, detail, and order that are expected.

1/29/08:  See "Class Notes" for some additional tutorials containing excessive detail on 1-d dynamics.

1/18/07: WE WILL HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL SECTION AT 2pm MW.  THIS SECTION IS NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE REGISTRAR.  STUDENTS MAY ATTEND ANY SECTION, although flexibility so as to even out the numbers in each class is desirable.

1/10/08 Part of the first HW set is posted, and requires no new knowledge, so you can get it done any time!

1/7/08 There is no section on Wednesday, Jan. 23.  The first class will be Thurs. Jan. 24

Textbooks should be available in the bookstore: "Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics", 6th edition, by Meriam and Kraige