Syllabus
Catalog description
Catalog Description: (Prerequisites - MA 111) Covers two- and three-dimensional force systems, equilibrium, structures, distributed forces, and strength and elastic deflection of engineering materials due to loads applied axially. Emphasizes free-body diagrams.
Instructors
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Course Objectives
After this course students will be able to:
- Effectively communicate the solution of an engineering analysis by presenting the solution in a format common to the profession
- Analyze a static structure or system of particles in order to determine the forces and/or moments which are acting external and internal to the bodies by drawing free body diagrams (FBDs) and applying the equations of equilibrium
- Define and mathematically manipulate vectors
- Define and calculate axial stress and strain
- Describe the behavior of elastic materials
- Distinguish between applied stress and material strength in order to apply factors of safety
- Determine centroids of volumes and areas
- Apply the principles of the course in a design project
Translation: You will become skilled in the art and science of determining some of the most fundamental things of the physical world: specifically, how an arbitrarily defined body interacts with the rest of the world. Also, you will begin to understand how to determine the internal reaction of a body to these forces and moments (stress). To achieve this power, you must become a master of the Free Body Diagram.
The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant when compared to the power of a Free Body Diagram. - Obi Wan Kenobi
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Course grade components
Final course grades are caculated as given in Table 1.
Table 1: Final grade breakdown| Development activities | |
| Homework, quizzes, and participation | 9% |
| Project | 10% |
| Evaluation activities | |
| Midterm exams (3 @ 17% each) | 51% |
| Comprehensive final exam | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
Hour Exams:
Each exam will be a 50 minute exam. To pass the class, students must have a passing exam weighted average, including the final exam. (Passing is defined as a 60% or higher.) Make-up exams are not given, should you miss an exam and have made prior agreement with your instructor, your final exam grade will count for your missed exam.
Final Exam:
Four hours will be allotted for the cumulative final exam. All students are expected to take the final exam at its scheduled time.
Also note that in order to pass this course, your weighted average grade calculated from all the evaluation activities (the exams) must be passing. If you have a passing grade for the evaluation activities, the points earned from development activities will then be included in the calculation of your final grade.
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Classroom activities:
Since we only meet a few hours a week, the time we have together in the classroom is precious. And since most learning happens outside the classroom, it is doubly important that we maximize the benefit of our time together in class. To that end, we will be very active in the classroom rather than having you listen to me tell you what is in the book or just to watch me do stuff.
Reading:
You have a very well written book that contains all the content of the course in a static (hah!) form. You also paid for it. It doesn't make sense for me to just read it back to you in class. You should therefore complete the assigned reading before coming to class just like you would in a literature course.
Quizzes:
Each day we will begin with a short conceptual quiz on material for that day's class. A very small part of your grade will be affected by your participating in the quizzes, but not your performance on them. The purpose of the quizzes if for you to engage in your learning and for both you and me to understand where your strong and weak points are.
Problem solving:
We will work lots and lots and lots of problems together in class. Sometimes we will emphasize the "together" part of working together by working problems on shared white board spaces, typically in groups of about three students. It has been shown that this activity both greatly increases collaboration between students as well as allows the instructor to give immediate and more focused feedback. (Plus it's fun!) Full solutions to the in-class problems will always be posted in the Files section of this website after class.
Homework
Homework problem assignments will typically be made daily. (Daily homework assignments, along with due dates, can be found in the Schedule section.) Homework is due at the beginning of the period on the assigned due date. Late homework will not be accepted except for medical reasons or prior arrangements with the instructor. Should you have trouble working a problem, you should at least submit an acceptable partial solution.
Homework is graded mainly on effort in order to encourage you to truly work the problems and learn from the experience, as opposed to copying solutions from friends, campus files, or illegally downloaded solutions manuals. To safeguard your privacy, homework will be turned in electronically via Moodle.
Format:
You are required to use a standardized homework format. Here is an example of the format: Formatted HW solution. Standardized solution formats serve two purposes
- First, they help you organize your thoughts to better solve the problem.
- Second, they provide a structure that makes it easier for the reader to understand your solution
Header:
Each problem must start on a new page of paper (real or virtual). The header of each page should contain the following information
- Course Number and Section Number
- Student Name
- Problem Number
- Assignment Page Number and Total Number of Pages
Problem Statement:
The goal here is to define the problem. In an engineering analysis course, the problem statement in the book may be that definition. In design courses or after graduation, a significant portion of the problem solution is the problem statement. The problem statement should contain two subheadings: Given and Find. You may photocopy or scan the problem and figure from the text and paste the information under the appropriate heading.
Identify System or Systems:
In words and/or pictures, clearly identify the system or systems you will be analyzing. For many problems in Statics, this means that you must draw a Free Body Diagram. Your coordinate system should be clearly labeled.
Problem Solution:
Logically and neatly apply the appropriate principles and laws to determine the desired answer. Often you will find it useful to solve the problem in symbolic form first and then substitute in the numbers at the end. Final answers must be boxed. If a computer algebra system is used, include the printout.
Please recognize that the solution method is not as linear as it appears, and iteration is often needed. Consequently, what you submit should be a final version of the scratch work it took you to get there.
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Attendance
Excused absences should be arranged in advance. As per the Academic Policies of the institute, the instructor reserves the right to reduce your final course grade by one letter grade for every four unexcused absences. Eight or more absences excused or unexcused may result in your failing the course. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to obtain all assignments and hand-outs from students who were present in class.
E-mail etiquette
Professors and students have different schedules, especially sleep schedules! And so it is not reasonable to expect an instantaneous reply to an e-mail sent at 2:30 a.m. It is reasonable, however, for all of us to expect each other to check our e-mail regularly. Let us therefore adopt this policy in regards to e-mail communication:
- We all agree to check our e-mail at least once per business day.
- When a response to an e-mail is warranted, allow a one business day turn around time for the reply.
- Please remember that e-mail is a professional form of communication. It is not the same as texting, and you therefore should generally refrain from that type of informality.
Fig. 1: A snarky example of what makes some professors' blood boil. (However, I do consider you a friend.) ⇧
Class etiquette
We will do lots of active learning in class! And so, please come each day with
- your course workbook, (or electronic equivalent)
- your textbook, (or electronic equivalent)
- a writing instrument, (or electronic equivalent)
- paper, (or electronic equivalent) and
- a calculation device.
Academic honesty
Any act of academic misconduct is grounds for discipline in accordance with the most recent edition of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Academic Rules and Procedures. If in doubt, ASK! The most recent information can be found on the web at http://www.rose-hulman.edu/campus-life/student-services/registrar/rules-and-procedures/index.html. Specific guidance about collaboration and the use of files is found below under Homework Guidelines.
Disclaimer:
The instructor reserves the right to modify course content, schedule, policies, etc. as outlined in this contract.
Fig. 2: Yoda is a wise soul, indeed. ⇧
