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Math Skills For Physics

Math skills are essential for physics students. They must be able to perform basic arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They must also know how to work with means, decimals, fractions, percentages, ratios, approximations, and reciprocals. Students must understand trigonometric functions and be able to manipulate them. They need to be able to use standard notation, work with direct and inverse proportions, solve algebraic equations and simultaneous equations, and interpret different types of graphs.

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Reema Fahmi
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55 views8 pages

Math Skills For Physics

Math skills are essential for physics students. They must be able to perform basic arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They must also know how to work with means, decimals, fractions, percentages, ratios, approximations, and reciprocals. Students must understand trigonometric functions and be able to manipulate them. They need to be able to use standard notation, work with direct and inverse proportions, solve algebraic equations and simultaneous equations, and interpret different types of graphs.

Uploaded by

Reema Fahmi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Math Skills needed for Physics

All Physics students should be able to meet the following mathematical requirements. Tick the
box when you feel you understand each point.

1 PERFORM THE BASIC ARITHMETIC FUNCTIONS: ADDITION,


SUBTRACTION, MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION

It’s good to start with the easy stuff!

ADDITION: 12+6=18

SUBTRACTION: 81−3=78

MULTIPLICATION: 20x 3 = 60

Note: Taking 75.34 as an example, In some countries, the point located between two
numbers indicates the product of 75 and 34 (e.g. 75x 34) - this notation is not used in
IB exams. In IB exams, 75.34 indicates a separation between the whole number and
the fraction.

DIVISION: 100 = 25
4
Note: You may see the following symbols to indicate division throughout this course:
26÷2, 26/2 or 26:2.

2 CARRY OUT CALCULATIONS INVOLVING:


MEANS, DECIMALS, FRACTIONS, PERCENTAGES,
RATIOS, APPROXIMATIONS AND RECIPROCALS

WHAT? Please make this more simple…

Example:
What is the mean of these numbers?
6, 11, 7

• Add the numbers: x1 + x2 + x3 = 6 + 7 + 11 = 24


24
• Divide by how many numbers (there are 3 numbers): x¯ = 3 =8
DECIMALS: In Britain and the US, the decimal point is used to define a decimal
fraction. The point is used to separate the whole number from the fraction. In some
other countries, the comma is used to separate the whole number from the fraction.
Example:

Britain and US: 4.56


Other notation: 4,56
IB exams use the decimal point, not a comma.

FRACTIONS:

PERCENTAGES:

Here’s a little trick to make percentage calculations


easier:

x% of y = y% of x

Example:

8% of 50
8% of 50 is the same as 50% of 8
And 50% of 8 is 4
So 8% of 50 is 4

RATIOS

Top Tips on Ratios:

• A ratio is in its simplest form when both sides are whole numbers and there is
no whole number by which both sides can be divided.
• When scaling ratios up or down, always remember that the same unit of
measurement must be applied to both sides. Also bear in mind that the rules of the
original ratio must be upheld.
• When calculating the ratio between different orders of magnitude, simply subtract
the powers of ten.

APPROXIMATIONS:

Sometimes you are gonna have to approximate. You get used to it and there is usually
one multiple choice question in Paper 1 that will require you to have an idea of power
of magnitude.
3 CARRY OUT MANIPULATIONS WITH TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS

This sounds hard, but it’s not.

All it means is that you have to be able to use the sine, cosine and tangent functions on
your calculator. Most calculators have buttons to find the sin, cos and tan of an angle.
You would usually have to set the calculator to degrees mode.
You also need to be happy with the SOH CAH TOA memory aid to remember the
ratios for the sine, cosine and tangent functions.

Consider the right triangle above.


• a is the length of the side adjacent to the angle (x) in question.
• o is the length of the side opposite the angle.
• h is the length of the hypotenuse.
• "x" represents the measure of the angle in degrees (or radians).
4 USE STANDARD NOTATION

Physics goes from the microscopic values of atomic and nuclear physics to the
macroscopic values of astrophysics. We do not want to be writing that the mass of
an electron is 0.00000000000000000000000000000091kg….
−31
Instead, it is easier to write 9.1x10 kg
A number if standard form written in two parts:

1. Just the digits (with the decimal point placed after the first digit), followed by
2. x10 to a power that puts the decimal point where it should be (i.e. it shows
how many places to move the decimal point).
3
1546.7 = (Par t 1)1.5467 x (Par t 2)10

5 USE DIRECT AND INVERSE PROPORTION


DIRECT PROPORTION:

Two variables are in direct proportion if you draw a graph and it has a straight
line through the origin, like this:

Mathematically, you would express the relationship as:

VαT

It can also be expressed as:

V = kT

Which is likened to the equation of a straight line (y = m x + c), where there is no y-


intercept.

INDIRECT PROPORTION:
Two variables are indirectly proportional if you draw a graph and looks like this:

6 SOLVE SIMPLE ALGEBRAIC EQUATIONS

The best way to solve an equation is by using 'inverses', or undoing what the equation
is doing.
To use this method to solve equations remember that:

• Adding and subtracting are the inverse (or opposite) of each other.
• Multiplying and dividing are the inverse of each other.
7 SOLVE LINEAR SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS

Follow these simple rules:


1. Multiply each equation by a suitable number so that the two equations have
the same leading coefficient.
2. Subtract the second equation from the first.
3. Solve this new equation for y and find the value of y.
4. Substitute the value of y into either original equation
8 PLOT GRAPHS (WITH SUITABLE SCALES AND AXES)
INCLUDING TWO VARIABLES THAT SHOW LINEAR AND NON-
LINEAR RELATIONSHIPS

Rules of graph drawing:

• Scales should be chosen so that the plotted points occupy at least half of the graph
grid in both x and y directions
• You must label each axis with the quantity the is being plotted
• The scale direction must be conventional (i.e. increasing from left to right)
• Choose scales that are easy to work with (e.g. go up in 5’s or 10’s. NOT 3’s or 7’s)
• Label the scales frequently. You should not have more than three large scales
without a numerical label.
• All plotted points must be inside the graph (not outside the margin area)
• All observations must be plotted

9 INTERPRET GRAPHS, INCLUDING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF


GRADIENTS, CHANGES IN GRADIENTS, INTERCEPTS AND AREAS.

Here’s a quick round up of some if the graphs you might meet in IB physics and
what the gradient represents:
Type of Graph Gradient Area Represents:
Represents:
Y-Axis X-Axis

Distance Time Speed

Displacement Time Velocity

Velocity Time Acceleration Displacement

Speed Time Acceleration Distance

Force Acceleration Mass

Force Distance Work Done


Force Extension Work Done (in
extending spring)
Force Time Impulse / Change of
Momentum

sin θ1 sin θ2 Refractive Index


Potential Difference Current Internal Resistance

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