Tuesday, December 25, 2001

Subject: Semifinal 8.01 grades are now posted

Dear 8.01 Students,

The grading is not quite complete, as I am still waiting for some information from the instructors, and for some decisions from Prof. Farhi. Since the renormalization of the recitation quizzes allows one person's grades to have a small effect on another person's grades, it is hard to finalize anything until all the information is in. However, since I don't want to keep you all waiting, I am posting these semifinal grades. A few final grades are not included, and all are subject to small changes, which will presumably be at most 0.1%. If you find errors in these grades, please contact both your recitation instructor and me. The average on the final exam was 62.1%, with a standard deviation of 13.5%, and the average of the final weighted averages was 70.0%, with a standard deviation of 10.2%. To access your grades, you can follow this link.

Have a happy holiday!

-- Alan Guth --

P.S. If you cannot access the secure web page from where you are, but can access your MIT email address, then let me know if you would like me to email your grades to you. If you must use an off-campus account, then please tell me a few of your previous exam grades (not recitation or homework grades), so that I can verify your identity.

Friday, December 21, 2001

Subject: Grades will be posted soon

I am sorry that the final grades for 8.01 have not been posted yet, but things are going more slowly than expected. I just received some corrections on recitation section grades from one of the instructors this morning, and I am not sure if that is finished yet. The current posting does not even include tutoring credit for the third exam, so don't worry if your credit is not shown.

I am going to be traveling this weekend, but I am hoping to have most of the grades posted by Monday morning. There may be a few grades that will still be uncertain, but I won't let that stop me from informing the rest of you.

If you do find any errors in our listing, by the way, there is no problem if you let us know at the beginning of IAP. We hope that there will not be any errors, but we will be sure to correct any that turn up.

Sorry to keep you in suspense, but I hope that you have a good weekend, anyway.

-- Alan Guth --

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Friday, December 14, 2001

Subject: Formula sheets for the Final Exam are available

The formula sheets for the Final Exam are now available. There are no surprises on the formula sheets, since they are precisely the "Equations Introduced in this Chapter" summaries from the Study Guide, collected from all the chapters. Nonetheless, a printout of these equations can be a useful guide for studying. If you understand these equations, you have learned 8.01.

Please note that in addition to the two final exams that are printed in the Study Guide, the final exams for 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1998 can all be found on the web page, along with full solutions. So, there is no shortage of problems for you to practice on.

-- Alan Guth --

Thursday, December 13, 2001

Subject: Tutoring for the coming weekend

The 8.01 weekend tutor, Jeffrey Miles, will be available for last-minute tutoring on the coming weekend. THERE WILL BE NO CREDIT FOR TUTORING ON THE WEEKEND, so come only if you have questions about the physics. The tutoring will be in the usual weekend location, but the Sunday hours will be different from usual.

Location: Room 5-216
Times: Saturday, 11 am - 1 pm
Sunday, 3 pm - 6 pm

By the way, since tutoring credit is continuing through Friday, you should not expect to see your tutoring credit for Exam 3 on the web listings until Saturday night.

-- Alan Guth --

Wednesday, December 12, 2001

Subject: Tutoring credit will continue through Friday

Maria Springer noticed that I had been inconsistent in what I have said about tutoring credit. In my email messages of last Saturday and earlier today, I said that tutoring credit would not be available after today. However, on the Tutoring Record Sheets, it says that tutoring credits will be available through Friday, December 14. I apologize for the inconsistency, and we will honor the statement on the Tutoring Record Sheet that allows credit through this Friday.

If you have not turned in your tutoring form, then you can turn it in any time until 4 pm on Friday. If you have already turned in your tutoring form, which is most likely the case, then you can start a new sheet to use on Thursday and/or Friday. The new sheet should then be turned in by 4 pm on Friday. Of course the limit for tutoring credit is still 2 points for the entire week.

Sorry for the confusion, but I hope everything works out okay.

-- Alan Guth --

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Wednesday, December 12, 2001

Subject: Format for the Final Exam

The final exam will be next Monday, Dec 17, from 9 am until 12 noon. All students should go to the Johnson Athletics Center, W34, to take the exam.

As already promised, the exam will include one problem that is at most a slight modification of a problem indicated by DO or STUDY on one of Problem Sets 8 or 9. In addition, it will contain one problem that is at most a slight modification of a problem indicated by DO or STUDY on one of the previous problem sets of this term. Finally, the exam will also include one problem that is at most a slight modification of a problem that comes either from one of the three 50-Minute Exams this term, or from one of the two sample final exams that appear at the end of the Study Guide. Thus, three of the problems on the Final Exam are designated to come from these restricted categories.

We are intending for the Final Exam to be about as long as two of the 50-minute exams, but you will of course have 3 hours to complete it. Thus, there should not be as much time pressure for the final exam as you have experienced on the earlier exams. But, you should remember that even 3 hours is not enough to invent classical mechanics from scratch, so you should study it!

You will be given a formula sheet consisting of all the formulas listed as "Equations introduced in this chapter" for all the chapters in the Study Guide. The formula sheet will be posted on the web some time in the next few days.

Tutoring will continue on Thursday and Friday at the usual times, but there will be no credit given for attending tutoring after today.

Best wishes for your studying.

-- Alan Guth --

Monday, December 10, 2001

Solutions to Problem Set #9 are available here.

Saturday, December 8, 2001

Subject: Make-up Exam 3 grades are posted; Final tutoring forms

Dear 8.01 Students,

Your grades on Make-up Exam 3 are now available on the web. 254 students took Make-up Exam 3, and the class average was 64.8.

The entries on the web have also been updated to include credit for tutoring during the period between Exams 2 and 3, October 27 - November 21. This tutoring credit is added to your grade on Exam 2. The posted grades reflect the database in the Physics Education Office as of Friday, December 7.

If you notice errors in the posted grades, please let me know as quickly as possible. From my point of view, the main value in posting the grades is to make sure that all errors are corrected.

Tutoring for credit will continue through the last day of classes, this coming Wednesday, December 12. Your final tutoring forms should be turned in by the end of the day on Wednesday, in a box in the tutoring room. To help you study for the final exam, tutoring will continue to be available beyond Wednesday, but there will be no extra credit given for attending tutoring beyond Wednesday.

Best wishes,

-- Alan Guth --

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Monday, December 3, 2001

Subject: Arrangements for Make-up Exam 3

Dear 8.01 Students,

Make-up Exam 3 will be given tomorrow, Tuesday, December 4, at 7:30 pm. We expect by far the largest crowd that we have had so far this year, so we have reserved both Walker Memorial (50-340) and 6-120. If your last name starts with a letter from A-R, please go to 50-340 to take the exam. If your last name starts with a letter from S-Z, please go to 6-120. (That covers everybody, right?)

The make-up exam will include the same formula sheet as the original exam, and will include at least one problem that is at most a slight modification of a problem or part of a problem indicated by "DO" or "STUDY" on Problem Sets 6 or 7.

If you want to take the make-up exam, but have a conflict, you should let me know by email. In that case, please describe the conflict, and let me know if you could possibly take the exam on Wed morning at 8:30 am or 9:00 am. Some of you have already contacted me about this--- I have replied to most but not all of those emails, and expect to get back to all of you sometime this afternoon.

Best wishes,

-- Alan Guth --

Monday, November 26, 2001

Subject: Correction to Problem Set 8; Turn-in of Tutoring Forms

Dear 8.01 Students,

First, I have a correction to Problem Set 8: replace Problem 6 --- G17.37, Hot-air balloons --- by G17.31, The density of oxygen. (This actually becomes Problem 7, after the numbering is fixed. As you can probably tell, this Problem Set was put together as I was rushing to catch up with my family to start Thanksgiving vacation.) The hot-air balloon problem is interesting, but requires knowledge of bouyancy, which we will not be covering until the next unit. I'll probably include this problem on the next set, so there is no need to despair if you have already spent some time on it.

Second, for those of you who have Tutoring Record forms for the Second Period to turn in, there is a box in the tutoring room, 4-344. The box should be available during scheduled tutoring hours today and during the entire coming week. You should make sure that you turn your form in by the end of the day this Friday, November 30.

-- Alan Guth --

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Wednesday, November 21, 2001

Dear 8.01 Students,

Your Exam 3 grades have been posted on the 8.01 web page, and the entries have also been updated to include credit for tutoring through October 26.

The class average on Exam 3 was 51.5. This is low, but the material is hard. Last year the class average on the corresponding exam was 44.9, so we're doing better. We are leaving the target score at 65, because we feel that the material is important although difficult, so we should not lower our sights. You should consider yourself in danger of not passing, based on this exam, if your grade was a 36 or below.

A number of you have sent me email messages asking for your grades on Exam 3. Now that they have been uploaded, I will assume that those messages are no longer relevant. If for some reason you cannot access the web page and would still like me to email your grade, please send another message.

Also, a few of you emailed me on Monday or later about special circumstances concerning Exam 3. Unfortunately I have not yet had time to respond to those emails. I actually received over 60 email messages on Monday, many of which were from 8.01 students, and I am trying to get caught up. Due to some computer problems, it was a bit of a struggle to get the grades posted on the web, but I wanted to get that done because today is drop date. If you did contact me about Exam 3, I will try to get back to you within the next few days, although I will be traveling with my family, and my laptop is having some hardware problems, so I can't make any promises.

-- Alan Guth --

Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Exam 3 Solutions are available here.

There will be no tutoring during Thanksgiving weekend, from Thursday, November 22 through Sunday, November 25.

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Sunday, November 18, 2001
Subject: Midterm Course Evaluation

Dear 8.01 Students,

If you did not fill out the Midterm Course Evaluation form in your recitation class, or if you have any further comments that you would like to add, please click here to fill out a web version of this form. We are particularly interested in any suggestions you have for how the course can be improved, either for next year or for the remainder of this term. This is your chance to tell us anonymously what you really think.

Thank you.

-- Alan Guth --

Saturday, November 17, 2001
Subject: Exam 3 next Monday: Location change & other details

Dear 8.01 Students,

• 26-100 FOR EVERYONE!:

  For this Monday we do not have access to Walker Memorial, so everyone will have to squeeze into 26-100 for Exam 3.

  There should still be room to have an empty seat between any two people. Please:

  1. Try to avoid having two empty seats between you and the next person, because that will not work if too many people do it.
  2. Put your things on the chair to your LEFT, so the chair on your right will be available for another student.
  3. Try to arrive a little early if possible. If you are taking the 10:00 am exam, try to leave as quickly as possible after it is over, so the incoming students can wedge themselves in by 11:05.

• OTHER INFO:

  Please note that on the 8.01 website, http://web.mit.edu/8.01/www/Fall01, you can access copies of Exam 3 and its solutions from previous years, solutions to this year's Problem Sets 6 and 7, and also the formula sheet that will be part of Exam 3, either in Postscript or PDF. The formula sheet makes a good checklist for the relationships that you are expected to understand for the exam.

  Best wishes for success in conquering this material.

  -- Alan Guth --

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Friday, November 16, 2001

Information on 50-Minute Exam 3

Thursday, November 15, 2001

Links to 8.01 Exam 3 from Previous Years

Wednesday, November 7, 2001

Subject: Grades through Make-up Exam 2 have now been posted

Dear 8.01 Students,

The grades access page of the 8.01 website has been updated, so it now includes all your 50-minute and Make-up Exam scores so far. Even if you have dropped the course, the site should now include, for your information, the scores on any exams that you took while you were still in the course.

The credits for tutoring are still being tabulated, so they do not yet appear on the web listings. I expect, however, that they will be added within the next few days.

If you find any errors in the posted grades, be sure to let me know.

-- Alan Guth --

Friday, November 2, 2001

Subject: Problem Set 6 Solutions

As you hopefully recall, Problem Set 6 is due today at 4:30 pm, in Room 4-339B. The material on the problem set will be covered in recitation quizzes next Wednesday and Thursday.

Unfortunately, due to some minor foul-ups, the Problem Set 6 Solutions that will appear after 4:30 will not be complete, but will be missing the solution to Problem G10.76. The solution for this problem will be circulated early next week. Furthermore, the solutions will appear only on the web page--- printed copies will not be available in the handout room, Room 4-339B, until next Monday morning.

Sorry for these glitches, but we will get the solution to G10.76 out as quickly as we can.

-- Alan Guth --

Thursday, November 1, 2001

Subject: Regular weekend tutoring hours

Weekend tutoring hours have been set through the remainder of the semester.
They are as follows:

Saturday: 11 am - 1 pm
Sunday: 1 - 4 pm
Location: Room 5-216

For the full tutoring schedule go to Tutoring.

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Friday, October 26, 2001

Subject: Tutoring forms; Make-up Exam 2

Dear 8.01 Students,

For those of you who have Tutoring Record forms to turn in, there is a box in the tutoring room, 4-344. The box should be available during scheduled tutoring hours today and during the entire following week. You should make sure that you turn your form in by the end of the day next Friday, November 2.

Make-up Exam 2 will be given next Tuesday, October 30, at 7:30 pm. It will be given in 50-340, the third floor of Walker Memorial. (Note that this is not the same room that was used for Make-up Exam 1.) No matter which lecture you attend and no matter what letter your last name begins with, you should come to 50-340 at 7:30 pm next Tuesday to take the exam.

The make-up exam will include the same formula sheet as the original exam, and will include at least one problem that is at most a slight modification of a problem or part of a problem indicated by "DO" or "STUDY" on Problem Sets 3, 4, or 5.

As was announced in lecture, the average score on Exam 2 was 66.1, and the target score for the exam is 65. That means that you can improve your grade by taking the make-up, or by attending tutoring, only if your grade was below 65. Of course you are welcome to attend tutoring no matter what grades you are getting. If your grade was 50 or below you should consider your performance on this test be an indication of danger of not passing. You might talk to your recitation instructor, visit the tutors, see any of the instructors during their office hours, or just start working harder.

If you want to take the make-up exam, but have a conflict, you should let me know by email. In that case, please describe the conflict, and let me know if you could possibly take the exam on Wednesday morning at 8:30 am or 9:00 am.

Best wishes,

-- Alan Guth --

Subject: Tutoring available this weekend

Hours: Saturday 11-1, Sunday 1-4
Room: 4-163
Tutor: Jeffrey Miles

For purposes of tutoring credit, the weekend will count as part of the coming week. This means that 1 point of credit for each 25-minute tutoring session will be given to all students who scored below the target score (65) on Exam 2, and the points will be added to the score on Exam 2, up to a maximum of the target score. Credit is limited to 2 sessions per week.

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Saturday, October 20, 2001

Subject: Two-up postscript files for Exam 2, 1994 and 1995

Two-up postscript files for Exam 2, 1994 and 1995, have now been added to the Links to 8.01 Exam 2 from Previous Years. Sorry that this was delayed, but these older files were in a different format, and I had trouble finding an effective way to construct two-up files from them.

-- Alan Guth --

Friday, October 19, 2001

Information on 50-Minute Exam 2

Thursday, October 18, 2001

Links to 8.01 Exam 2 from Previous Years

Wednesday, October 17, 2001

Subject: Availability of grades on the web

Dear Students,

The grades for 50-Minute Exam 1 and Make-up Exam 1 are now posted on the website, where they can be accessed securely through the use of MIT certificates.

Please read the instructions on the Grades web page, and then let me know if you have trouble accessing your grades. If you do have trouble, please try to be as specific as you can in describing to me what you did and what happened.

One of the purposes for posting the grades is to give you a chance to catch any errors in our records. If you find any, be sure to let me know. The grades that are posted represent the database as of last Friday.

I hope that you will find this a convenient system.

-- Alan Guth --

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Saturday, October 13, 2001

Subject: Don't Forget Problem Set 4

Dear 8.01 Students,

I have been told by some of you that there has been confusion over Problem Set 4. It was originally supposed to have been handed out in Lecture on Friday, October 5, but it was not ready in time. Instead it appeared via the web page on Saturday morning, October 6.

You can find it by clicking on Problem Sets, and then you might need to scroll down a little to see the link for Problem Set #4. If you want, you can get there directly by following the link

The problem set is due next Tuesday, October 16, at 4:30 pm, so you should get to it quickly if you have not already.

There will also be a short problem set, Problem Set 5, that will be handed out in lecture this Monday and will be due the following Friday.

-- Alan Guth --

Tuesday, October 9, 2001

Subject: Solutions to Problem Set 3

The full solutions to Problem Set 3 are now available here. You should download both the "Incomplete Solutions" and the "Supplement".

Thursday, October 4, 2001

Subject: Status of Make-up Exam 1 grades

Dear 8.01 Students,

The Make-up Exam has been graded and the scores are currently being recorded. Unfortunately several of the staff people at the Physics Education Office have been out sick, so the grade recording has been going slowly. The grades should certainly be recorded by later today, and then your recitation instructors will be able to pick them up.

Since tomorrow is Add Date, I realize that a few of you who are considering changes may be anxious to know your grades. If that's the case, feel free to email me. I will be going out to dinner tonight with a speaker, but will return your email first thing when I get home.

-- Alan Guth --

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Friday, September 28, 2001

Subject: Make-Up Exam 1

Dear 8.01 Students,

As you probably know, Make-up Exam 1 will be given next Tuesday evening, at 7:30 pm. It will be given in 26-100. No matter which lecture you attend and no matter what letter your last name begins with, you should come to 26-100 to take the exam.

The exam will include the same formula sheet as the original exam, and will include at least one problem that is at most a slight modification of a problem or part of a problem indicated by "DO" or "STUDY" on Problem Set 1 or 2.

As was announced in lecture, the average score on Exam 1 was 72.5, and the target score for the exam is 65. That means that you can improve your grade by taking the make-up, or by attending tutoring, only if your grade was below 65. Of course you are welcome to attend tutoring no matter what grades you are getting. If your grade was 55 or below you should consider yourself in danger of not passing. You should begin evasive maneuvers, which could include talking to your recitation instructor, visiting the tutors, seeing any of the instructors during their office hours, or just starting to work harder.

I don't know how many of you want to take the make-up exam but have conflicts. If you do, be sure to let me know by email. There is a possibility of a second rendition of the exam shortly after the first. If you have a conflict with the 7:30 exam, let me know if an exam at 8:30 or 9:00 pm might be a possibility. If you have an athletic event, it is okay with us if your coach is willing to supervise the exam for you, preferably on Tuesday evening. If you want to pursue that, it would be best if you contacted the coach first, and then tell me how I can contact him or her.

Finally, I am told that some of you are waiting for regrades of your exams, and are bothered by the uncertainty of whether you should prepare for the make-up or not. If you are in this situation, feel free to contact me to let me know what is happening. I will see what I can do about it.

Best wishes,

-- Alan Guth --

Friday, September 21, 2001

New Link: Links to 8.01 Exam 1 from Previous Years

Subject: You can skip question #13 on Problem Set 2

Dear 8.01 Students,

When we were making up the solutions to Problem Set 2, we noticed that Problem #13, the essay question about the demo in which a ball is shot vertically upward from a horizontally moving spring gun, is not very well-worded. It's hard to actually CONCLUDE anything on the basis of one experiment, especially one that involves a number of physical principles. So, if you have not already written an answer to this question, you can skip it. It will not be graded.

Sorry for the late notice.

-- Alan Guth --

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Monday, September 17, 2001

Subject: A further extension for Problem Set 1

Dear 8.01 Students,

When I planned the extension for Problem Set 1, I have to confess that I let myself forget that there are no classes today. This means that there is no simple mechanism for the Mon-Wed recitation classes to get their problem sets back until Wed. However, I want you to have your original problem sets when you work on and hand in your supplements. I am therefore extending the deadline for late submission of Problem Set 1 or the submission of a supplement until Thursday (Sept. 20) at 4:30 pm. (Remember that Problem Set 2 is due on Friday, so the events are closely spaced.)

Please be sure to put your problem set into the box that is labeled by your recitation section. In case of errors, you should also write your recitation number on the problem set. The listing of recitation sections can be found on the Schedules page.

Thank you very much.

-- Alan Guth --

Thursday, September 13, 2001

Subject: More about Problem Set 1

Dear 8.01 Students,

I realized after sending my message yesterday that I should clarify the situation regarding the acceptance of late problem sets and the existence of solutions on the web and in Room 4-339B.

These solutions were released on Tuesday afternoon when we were expecting to go ahead with the quiz on Wednesday, and it seemed futile to me to try to hide them on Wednesday when we decided to cancel the quiz and to allow extensions on the problem set.

We view the homework primarily as a learning exercise, and not a testing exercise, which is why we encourage students to work together to discuss the homework. As a learning exercise, there is not much value if a student copies the solutions that have been handed out. We therefore ask that if you are planning to hand in the problem set late or to hand in a supplement, please do not look at the solutions. However, since the possibility of an extension on the problem set was not announced until after the solutions were available, you should not feel that you are excluded from using the extension just because you may have already looked at the solutions. When you write your solutions, however, we expect that you will not be copying them from the printed solutions. If you do, the main loss will be your own, since the educational value of the problem set will be lost.

One final technicality: when you turn in your problem set or supplement, be sure to put it in the correct locked box in Room 4-339B. These boxes are labelled by recitation section, with two sections assigned to each slot. Be careful, because the numbering is not always consecutive --- the pairing of the sections is controlled by who is grading each section.

Thank you.

-- Alan Guth --

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Wednesday, September 12, 2001

Subject: Special arrangements for this week

Dear 8.01 Students,

In the light of the tragic events of this week, we understand that many students may have had concerns that stood in the way of completing Problem Set 1 and studying for the Recitation Quizzes. We all share in the pain of these events, and the 8.01 staff intends to be as supportive as possible.

Therefore, we have decided to cancel the Recitation Quizzes for this week. Instead there will be only 4 Recitation Quizzes during the term, and you will still be able to drop the lowest of those scores. Many instructors will probably use this opportunity to give the recitation quiz as a practice quiz, but it will not be counted as part of your grade.

Concerning the homework, any student who did not turn in Problem Set 1 can turn it in late, until next Wednesday (Sept 19) at 4:30 pm. Similarly, any student who handed in the problem set, but feels that it was not really finished, can hand in a supplement next week, also due by Wednesday (Sept 19) at 4:30 pm. Late or supplementary problem sets should be placed in the usual boxes in Room 4-339B. If you are handing in a supplement, please pick up your original problem set from your recitation instructor, and turn in both the original and supplement, stapled together. Be sure to mark "SUPPLEMENT" clearly on the new pages. The supplement can include any problems that were not done on the original set, and also repeats for any problems that were done inadequately on the original set.

If anyone has been directly affected by this tragedy, either in terms of family or close friends, make sure that you tell your recitation instructor, so that he can fold this in when assessing your performance.

-- Alan Guth --

Monday, September 10, 2001

Subject: Tutoring to Begin on Tuesday, September 11

Starting Tuesday, September 11, tutoring for 8.01 students will be available in Room 4-344. The hours are still subject to change, but currently we expect to have tutors available according to the following schedule:

Monday: 12:00 noon - 2:00 pm, and 2:30 - 5:00 pm.
Tuesday: 11:30 am - 5:00 pm.
Wednesday: 12:30 - 2:30 pm, 3:00 - 5:00 pm.
Thursday: 11:30 am - 5:00 pm.
Friday: 12:00 noon - 2:00 pm, 2:30 - 4:00 pm.

For this week only, tutoring will also be available on Friday September 14 from 4:00 - 5:00 pm. Until the first 50-minute Exam, each of you can earn 1 point per 25-minute tutoring session, to be added to your score on the first 50-minute Exam, up to a maximum of two sessions per week, with no limit on your total score (you can aim for 106!). You can attend as many tutoring sessions as you want, but you will receive credit for only the first two each week.

Friday, September 7, 2001

Subject: Lecture Demos of Shooting Bullet and Falling Apple

Prof. Farhi announced during the 10 am lecture that the analysis of these demos would be part of Problem Set 1. However, the materials are not yet ready. They will therefore instead be included as part of Problem Set 2, which will be handed out next Wednesday.

Tuesday, September 4, 2001

Welcome to 8.01, the mid-level first-year physics course aimed at the majority of MIT students. It is paced faster than 8.01L, it is less rigorous than 8.012, and it does not have the emphasis on take-home experiments that characterizes 8.01X. Our goal is to convey the excitement of the physicist's quest to understand nature at its deepest level, and at the same time to provide the knowledge and tools that you will need to continue your studies in science or engineering. We hope you will enjoy the course.

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