There's an underlying concern here. Good math is of no use and it is
perhaps dangerous if it is inappropriately applied. We see this
frequently in the matter of unit conversions. Most people can take a
table and a calculator and convert non-metric dimensions on a drawing
into metric dimensions. All too often, though, they don't do it
correctly because they don't have knowledge of some important
principles. One must know more than just math to properly calculate unit
conversions.
I spent several weeks once doing a corrective calibration of a multiwire
drift chamber detector (for high energy subatomic particles) that was
built with "mathematically correct" (but erroneous) dimensions as a
result of not understanding principles of error accumulation,
manufacturing processes, etc. The plan was metric and it was converted
to non-metric for fabrication with numbers that looked right, but were
indeed not. This is of course another argument against "soft conversion"
metrication (or its inverse).
I would not let my Introductory Physics students design a bridge that
was certified safe for vehicles or pedestrians. At the introductory
level, principles are the important learning points. After that, comes
and understanding of uncertainty in data and resulting calculations.
Both of these are essential predecessors to "getting the right answers".
I've seen cases where "right answer" focussed people made erroneous,
non-applicable calculations that resulted in the numbers they expected
to get---which were in fact the wrong numbers.
Indeed, the purpose of certification of engineers is to ensure that the
method of calculation is proper. This is one major difference between
and engineer and an engineering technician. That's why the subjects
covered in the engineering exams are things like statics, dynamics, E&M
theory, and so forth instead of knowledge of algebra and arithmetic.
Yes, it's important for an engineer to get the math right in a
calculation. But first that engineer must do the correct calculation,
and that relies on a knowledge of and proper application of principles.
Jim
Bill Hooper wrote:
On 2007 Dec 3 , at 3:55 PM, m. f. moon wrote:
All I can say it is, as an engineer, answers do count. People die when
wrong
answers are given.
Of course m.f. is right.
I should have been more careful how I stated that.
My statement that "answer don't count" was intended to be for an
educational setting. The most important thing to learn in school at any
level is the method to get the answers. When learning the methods, it is
the method that is important, not the answer.
Of course, one of the most important reasons for learning the methods is
so they can be used in the real world to get useful and important
answers. And that is because, as m.f. writes, "answers DO count" in the
real world.
Regards,
Bill Hooper
Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA
==========================
SImplification Begins With SI.
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James R. Frysinger
632 Stony Point Mountain Road
Doyle, TN 38559-3030
(H) 931.657.3107
(C) 931.212.0267
