Strategies for reading the book:
Take this reading seriously. Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed. Focus on the big equations, not on every little equation they throw at you. In this course, I focus on the basic equations and concepts. Determine what assumptions are part of the equation. In what situations is this equation or concept valid? Read examples of how to use these equations. Read the section through, then read it again. Read it another time if you still have questions. Take notes on what is confusing to you and what you find easy. And don't just skim for equations—you won't be able to determine which are the most important equations and when to use them.

Strategies for doing homework:
As with reading the book, focus on the basic equations and concepts. The book may have equations that are only appropriate in certain situations, but you will learn better if you only use the basic equations and concepts. And on quizzes, you will only be able to use the basic equations and concepts, so work with those for practice. Read a question twice before starting a problem—sometimes you miss important information the first time through. Look at what section the homework is listed in, and if you are having trouble, go back and read the section again. Start a problem by drawing a picture of the situation and writing down all the information you have. What is the problem asking for-what is your target variable? Then think about what other information you can assume or determine from other clues in the problem. Figure out what concept is most appropriate, and then find the equations for that concept that have your target variable in them. Do you have enough information to fit to the equation, or do you need another equation as well? Once you know you have all the information to fit the equations, start solving. DO NOT put numbers in until the last equation. This helps you keep track of your variables, it helps me understand how you are solving the problem, it allows you to check your units, it is less work than plugging into your calculator at every step (that just gives you more chances to make a math error!) and it is, in general, a good idea. So keep the numbers out of it! Once you have an answer, check it. Does it make sense? If you get an answer that someone is walking at 60 miles and hour, you know something is wrong. And it's easier to find a mistake if you are looking through variable algebra instead of numbers.

Strategies for solving quiz problems:
Before diving in to any one problem, take a look through the entire quiz. Find those questions which you know you can do and start with those. Then work your way through the problems you find more difficult. Keep an eye on the time-if you are spending too much time on one problem, stop working for a while and come back to it. Use the same strategies that I recommend above for homework questions. And be sure to check your answer! That simple step can save you a lot of points!