Memorization for Physics/Engineering

[AmyPrib]

Yep, I think if you just know where to look, that's the best way to do it. When you get in college, many classes end up letting you have "cheat" sheets for tests. But by the time you write down all the examples, and forumlas, and numbers on that sheet, you realize during the test that you just know it... because you spent the time to write it down....For some, it's a pretty good way to study, because it's a form of repetition. Half the time I made these huge elaborate cheat sheets, and then not need to use them during a test.. (but, for me putting examples of different equation applications came in handy). Those that dont' let you have cheat sheets, make one anyways and use it to study... It can be a last minute glance thing, but very useful in the future.

You'll also find that, even if you don't memorize something, you know exactly where to find it.... "umm.. i remember that it was in the upper right corner of the right side page, roughly in this chapter, and it was highlighted green"... it's kinda strange that you can remember what the page looks like but you can't remember the exact equation. But, at least you know where to find it... that's the key...

And, college classes, you'll find that after second year, all the courses seem to relate to each other, and you'll end up using numbers and equations in more places than you care to... so you'll unknowingly start memorzing some things...Many equations are derivations of each other, so if you can start somewhere, you can probably get elsewhere.

Some of the things you listed will eventually become second nature, but they are all useful. But if you want to make these types of things a quick lookup, then make yourself a page of what you think will be important items. Then you know exactly where to look, and enough usage will blast it into memory.

I never did understand why schools spend so much time forcing you to memorize things for a test, just so you can forget it the next day. You spend too much time memorizing it that you forget to learn how to use it. It's the application that needs to be understood.

[Venkatesh]

I have found it very useful to know the sines and cosines of a few angles (30, 60, 45) in decimal form. They got stuck in memory after doing so many problems with them.

Also, for Physics, the value of g on earth is very useful (32 ft/(sec*sec)). It will stick in your mind after the first two or three weeks of problems, if its not already there.