Concerning Calculators

Calculators Are Great

I like calculators. I am sure that would NOT have gotten through my college education without having a calculator handy. Most graphing calculators today can also solve problems for you and there are plenty of computer math systems that will solve very complex differential and partial differential equations for you. 

That said, there is a disadvantage to using a calculator to doing all of your work. I had a math professor at Brigham Young University-Idaho who had a phrase, "Garbage in, garbage out," when referring to just putting something into a calculator just to get the answer. You don't know if you put it in right, or if the answer that you are getting out the other end is actually correct. Despite popular belief, calculators and computers can make mistakes.

What Do We Do?

There is a way around this, learn how to solve the problem by hand first. You can use the calculator if you need a definite number for the answer, but when you are getting and equation down to it's simplest form, learn how to do it by hand, and then you can use the calculators and computers all you want. In fact, after you know how to solve the problem first, you will be able to identify when the answer you are getting out of the program is right or just off. 

Conclusion

Use the calculator, but understand what you are doing first, so you and the calculator understand each other.

In the Beginning...

The purpose of this blog is two-fold: 1, Help me prepare for the day when I can take the PE exam, 2, help others who are struggling in engineering courses. I have a Master's in Nuclear Engineering from Idaho State University and a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University-Idaho. Since I already passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, I want to prepare for the day when I can take the Professional Engineering Exam. This has been a dream of mine since I was nearly finished with my Bachelor's and is closer to reality now that I might be able to get a job that is not fast food.

I also noticed that there were many people out there looking for an engineering tutor. Since I live in Idaho, there is not much that I am able to do. So, I figured that this blog would work well to help those that want it. I remember that I was always looking for affordable ways to answer my questions while I was in school and I am sure that countless other students are as well.

I don't expect this to be an instant hit, or even very popular, and frankly I don't care. This is one way for me to keep up with my studies and help others at the same time, if they are looking for it.

I am going to start this journey with a Mechanical Engineering Classic: Statics. I hope to incorporate a range of subjects, so, if there are any questions, feel free to contact me or leave a comment. If you want help or would like me to answer a specific question, then by all means, contact me.