Engineering Dynamics ENGR 2090 Fall 2018

Course Details:
Description: The course is an integrated development of modeling and problem-solving
techniques for particle and rigid- body motion emphasizing the use of free-body diagrams and
vector mathematics.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes: 1) The student should master the basic principles of particle and
rigid body dynamics. 2) The student should be able to systematically apply these principles to
mechanical systems arising in diverse aspects of technology. 3) The student should be able to
solve the mathematical equations that govern these systems, and physically interpret the results.
To these ends, 4) the student should master vector algebra at a high level.
Topics Covered: two- and three-dimensional kinematics of particles and rigid bodies; two-
dimensional kinetics of particles and rigid bodies using Newton’s 2nd Law, the energy method,
and the impulse-momentum method; introduction to three-dimensional kinetics of rigid bodies.
(4 credits)

Prerequisites:
ENGR-1100: Introduction to Engineering Analysis (Engineering Mechanics: Statics)
PHYS-1100: Physics 1 (Mechanics)

Corequisite:
MATH-2400: Introduction to Differential Equations

Instructor:
John Tichy
Office: JEC 2028, Phone: 276-6986, email: [email protected]
Course Office Hours: every day 4:00-5:00 pm
Other times might be OK, call or email to check

Sections:
Section 1 (Tichy): Monday, Thursday: 8:00 – 9:50 AM, Sage 3101 - CRN 61032
Section 2 (Tichy): Monday, Thursday: 10:00 – 11:50 AM, Sage 4101 - CRN 62531

Web:
No course webpage but extensive use is made of the Rensselaer Learning Management
System (LMS)

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TA:
To be determined
Contact info and office hours will be posted on LMS

Please Note:
 Both sections will cover the same course material, have the same number of tests, and the
same relative weights. Overall, the policies of the sections will be the same.
 There will be a total of 10 graded quizzes during the semester, during the last half hour
portion of the class. The general pattern is that there is a quiz or a test every other class
period. However, I reserve the right to deviate from the pattern. Surprise quizzes are
possible. You must be present for the whole class period to take the quiz. To receive
credit, you must take the quiz in your assigned section.
 Attendance at class is mandatory. If I do not take attendance, you are assumed to be
present. Submitting completed quizzes and tests, and returning graded quizzes and tests
constitute taking attendance.
 Generally, the class format will be as follows. I will go over the theory and background
for about one half hour. Then for about one hour I will work problems. The problems
will be handed out on individual worksheets. For the last part of the class (if there is not
a quiz) you may leave or stay to get individual help, work on homework, etc. The
instructor and the TA will help individually during this last half hour period as best they
can.
 Homework problems will be assigned, but will not be collected or graded. Solutions will
be provided before the upcoming quizzes. The problems that appear on in-class quizzes
and tests will be similar to the specific homework problems and the example problems
worked in class. Thus, you have an incentive to do the homework.
 Final course grades will be assigned to both sections using approximately the same final
average-letter grade scale.

Homework Assignments:
Three or four homework problems will be assigned for each class. These problems are not to be
handed in, but should ideally be completed by the next class after the assignment is given. Quiz
and test problems will be very similar to the homework problems and example problems worked
in class. If you can work the homework problems and the class example problems, you will do
very well on the quizzes and tests

Textbook:
Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics
JL Meriam, G Kraige and JN Bolton
8th Edition (2015), John Wiley and Sons

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Quizzes:
There will be ten in-class, closed-book, closed-note, 20-30 minute quizzes during the semester.
The overall quiz grade comprises 15% of your final grade. You will be given the formulas
needed. There are no make-up quizzes. If you have a valid excuse, your quiz grade will be
proportionally based on fewer than ten quizzes. I accept at your word most reasonable quiz
excuses, especially if you ask beforehand. For instance, if you wake up with a horrible headache
and send me an email before class, the excuse will likely be accepted. If you ask for an excuse
after class, I will probably be skeptical and may or may not grant the excuse. In general, I do
not respond to requests for excused absences. I decide whether or not excuses are accepted
at the end of the course, based on your overall record. You will be given an overall letter
grade (with modifiers) based on the ten-quiz total score.

Tests:
There will also be three 110-minute, in-class tests during the semester. The best two count 20%
of the final grade, the worst one counts 15%. Each test will be of closed-book, closed-note
format. I will give you a crib sheet with all the necessary formulas. Laptop computers and
tablets are not permitted; a basic hand calculator will be all that is allowed for the tests. Any
request for a make-up test (not a quiz) must be accompanied by an official excuse from the
Student Experience Office, x8022, [email protected]. The make-up tests will be given at a common
time for those who missed the test and have a valid excuse. Usually the makeup test is a
about a week later. You will be given a letter grade (with modifiers) for each test.

Final Exam:
There will be a closed-book, closed-note final exam given during the final exam period. The
same policy applies – I will provide crib sheets with the formulas needed. Laptop computers and
tablets are not permitted; a basic hand calculator will be all that is allowed for the final exam.
The final exam counts 25%. Unfortunately, the final for this course is often scheduled on the last
date. Do not make travel plans to leave before the end of finals, until the date of the exam is
known. The same rules for a make-up final apply as to make-up tests. These rules are consistent
with Institute policy in the Catalogue.

Class Attendance, Preparation, and Participation:

Attendance at classes is mandatory and participation in class is strongly encouraged and is part
of your grade. At the end of the course, I will assign a letter grade to each student based on
his/her total performance in class, which counts 5% of your grade. I will consider mostly
attendance, but also preparation and participation in class, punctuality, as well as professional
behavior.

Course Conduct and Academic Integrity:

Students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. I am only
asking for the same reasonable standard of conduct of any professional environment, such as
when you get a job upon graduation. If it would be unacceptable and rude behavior in the
workplace, it is likewise unacceptable and rude in the classroom,

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Course Conduct and Academic Integrity (continued):

You may not be allowed to take the next quiz (thus earning the grade of zero) for any of the
following: (1) obviously inattentive class activities such as sleeping, (2) being late for class, (3)
doing other unrelated things such as homework for another course, (4) leaving early, (5) gaming
the system to only attend the quizzes by just coming to alternate classes, (6) texting. You are
free at any time to step out of class and text as much as you wish, or likewise to go to the
restroom, get a coffee, etc.

Student-teacher relationships are built on trust. Acts which violate this trust undermine the
educational process. The Rensselaer Handbook of Student Rights and Responsibilities defines
various forms of academic dishonesty and you should make yourself familiar with these; all
forms are violations of the trust between students and teachers. Collaborative discussion on
homework assignments is encouraged, although you should certainly strive to be able to work
the problems independently. Of course, no collaboration of any kind or use of unauthorized
notes/materials or smart phones is permitted on in-class quizzes or tests. Violation of this policy
will result in a grade of zero for the quiz or test.

Grade Summary:
Attendance / Class participation 5%
Graded In-Class Quizzes (10 @ 1.5%) 15%
Tests (20%, 20%, worst 15%) 55%
Final Exam 25%

Each of these grading components will have a letter grade. The letter grades will be treated
numerically as A (4.0), A- (3.67), B+ (3.33), etc. Based on the above weighting you will have an
overall numerical score.

As an example, say, you got Attendance A, Quizzes A, Worst Test C-, Best Test A-, Other Test
B, Final Exam B-. Your score would be:
0.05(4.00) + 0.15(4.00) + 0.15(1.67) + 0.20(3.67) + 0.20(3.00) + 0.25(2.67) = 3.05
The 3.05 will be almost certainly a course grade of B. If your score ≥ 3.67 you will definitely
get an A. Likewise, score ≥ 3.0 (B), score ≥ 2.0 (C), score ≥ 1.0 (D). The breakpoints for the
modifiers (A-, B+, etc.) will be at my discretion.

Grade Appeal:
Students are encouraged to discuss their grades with the instructor as frequently as needed and to
seek assistance at any time from either the instructor or a TA. Quiz grades can only be appealed
at the end of the course, when the entire set of quizzes will be considered. Test appeals should
be made within one week of the return of the test to the student. The student should resubmit the
test to the instructor along with the grading complaint in writing. The instructor will pass the
appeals to the TA who will regrade the test, keeping in mind consistency with the overall grading
scheme. If the student is not satisfied with this outcome, the instructor will be the final arbiter.
Don’t bother to bypass the procedure by appealing directly to the TA as he or she does not have
the authority to change the grade.