Set-up stepsSolving stepsCheck-up steps

Set-up Steps Work in pencil on rough work

sheet because you may make mistakes at the beginning

Read the question very carefully

Read the question once more if you do not understand it well

Set-up Steps Circle or underline keywords

and important information, e.g. upwards, downwards, left, right, approaching, parallel, perpendicular, constant, reflected, neglected etc.

Set-up Steps Identify all the given quantity and

unknowns Think about the physical law

related to these quantities Try to transform the given

information like diagrams and graphs into mathematical equations

Set-up Steps Note all the given

assumptions,e.g. no energy loss, no air resistance, no intermolecular force etc.

Recall some similar problems you have solved before.

Quote the formulae that seem helpful

Solving steps Divide the problem into parts Solve algebraically first Check all units in your

calculation Do not miss the ‘+’ or ‘-’ signs Consider whether the answer

you get is reasonable or not

Check-up steps Reread the question and make sure that

you have not misinterpreted it. Check the diagrams or graphs (if any) to

see whether the points (crosses) are correctly plotted, and whether the scales are clear and the axes labelled with correct units

Check all units in your calculation Do not miss the ‘+’ or ‘-’ signs Consider whether the answer you get is

reasonable or not

Check-up steps Check the calculation Check whether your answer fulfills

the requirement of the question Check whether you have corrected

the answer to 3 significant figures and have not left out the unit

Check-up steps If you cannot get the answer, it

is very probable that you have

1. Made careless mistakes2. Not clearly identified the relationship among the variables, unknowns and physical objects3. Drawn diagrams or graphs wrongly4. Missed some given information5. Failed to recognize certain principles and laws which cannot be applied in that particular situation