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“HOW TO SUCCEED IN EXAMS”

With

midterms once again upon us, and Christmas exams son to follow, what is really re- quired is a sure-fire guide to While it is widely recognized that everyone has a technique that works best, there are certain guidelines that will work for everyone.

success.

I’m sure you will recall virtually every teacher since grade two saying, “Read the questions carefully, only an- swer what’s being asked” and “RTFQ-Read The Full Question”. Quite frankly, I couldn’t agree more. In fact, if you really consider the questions carefully, you will quickly realize that the an- swers are quite simple. Thus, with a little thought, the test becomes your friend, a chance to show your Profs how much you really know and how clever you really are.

Allow me to elaborate. I have compiled several guide- lines, along with sample test questions and complete solu- tions (including the logic in- volved) to elaborate on the guidelines.

_1) Answer the question in prescribed format.

QUESTION:

Write a pseudocode program to share the CPU between five concurrently run _ pro- grams. (For the uninitiated, pseudocode means an outline of the program in English.)

SOLUTION: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, take advantage of the fact that pseudocode is allowed! The following solution is cor- rect:

Program share_G PU;

{Share CPU between 5

concurrent programs}

end;

See how simple this is!!

2) Don’t be intimidated by the question, realize that it can be simplified.

QUESTION: Find an ex- pression for k in terms of the following equation variables:

=—=Page 14

k27+ 1°

gl

277

Fak

SOLUTION: While many students would start squaring both sides and try- ing to isolate k, the prudent student would quickly realize that k is itself an equation variable. Thus the following is a correct response:

ki

3) Answer only what is asked.

QUESTION: How do we know that

Qls

od 4unێr7a

SOLUTION: Note that you are not being asked the value of the left side of the inequality, only how we know the inequality is true. Thus, my answer:

Or >27.47

We’re good at math.

QUESTION 2: that

rT pm d .Q° M= — —|eaarar ds\1r

What would happen if Q--?

SOLUTION: Once again, don‘t calculate, just answer the question: M_ would change.

Given

4) Use general knowl- edge to aid you.

QUESTION: Examine the following argument care- fully:

2=/4

=: 22

2=>2o0r2=-2 a) On what grounds can this argument be rejected?

b) Verify your answer to (a).

SOLUTION: Use. what you already know about | numbers:

a) It’s wrong.

b) 2 doesn’t equal -2

5) Use all the tools avail- able to you.

QUESTION: Prove the following :

"= -1

SOLUTION: Use_ that old mathematician’s trick, the ’proof by contradiction’:

Given:

e"= -1

Assume:

eS -1,

Thus. we have a _ con- tradiction, therefore the as- sumption must’ be wrong, therefore,

er"= -]

as required. Note the smooth flow and consistent- logic.

6) Give yourself as much leeway as possible.

QUESTION: Given the following experimental data,

calculate the mass of an elec- tron and include an estimate of the error in your answer. SOLUTION: Don’t make things difficult for yourself, take advantage of the error calculation and give yourself some leeway. You will notice that I have omitted the data because it is unneccessary. A correct answer is, quite sim-

ply,

mass = 0.52 1Kg

While this may at first seem a crude solution, closer scrutiny will reveal that the true mass of an electron, 9.11 X 10 Kg, is indeed well within the calculated range, thus the solution holds true to physical reality.

I hope you find these so- lutions helpful on your ex- ams. Just remember, close examination of the questions, combined with a little inge- nuity, will prevent you from wasting time unnecessarily and help you avoid losing marks on silly mistakes.

—Downton

(This article cur- tosy of Queen’s University’s GOLDEN WORDS)

of The Gem or the Engineering Society and may not

Credits for Nothing

(Taken from ‘Money For Nothing’ by Dire Straits) Now look at them B.A.’s , that’s the way you do it You take a course like philos-o-phy ‘ That ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it _ Credits for nothing and your marks for free

Now that ain’t working, that’s the way you do it Lemme tell ya them guys ain’t dumb (?7)

Maybe goto classes, even in the mornin

Then maybe go to none.

We gotta work with micro-computers Calculus equations by the score

We gotta work with dynamics and physics We gotta do this and much, much more

See all the B.A. students with the coffee and the Yeah Buddy! They’re playing cards

See all the B.A. students sitting in the library

Just looking out the window, staring at the cars.

We gotta work with micro-computers Calculus equations by the score

We gotta work with dynamics and physics We gotta do this and much, much more

We shoulda learned after almost failing first year

We shoulda learned to do it right

We shoulda learned to take the B.A. program Instead of studying, we could party all night

But look at them B.A.’s they know how to do it! They take a course like theol-o-gy »

That ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it

Get your credits for nothing, get your marks for free.

We gotta work with micro-computers Calculus equations by the score

We gotta work with dynamics and physics ‘ We gotta do this and much, much more

Now that ain*t workin’ that’s the way you do it You take a course like Psychol-o-gy

. That ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it

Credits for nothing and your marks for free

- Credits for nothing and your marks for free.

Thursday, November 19 19872

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