Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

Sixth week of classes, second meeting of Advanced Mathematics, third trimester: we’re off matrices. I started talking about signals – the classification of signals, and the difference between analog or continuous and digital and discreet signals, how some “purists” would still prefer vinyl over cassettes and CDs any day, because of this thing called Quantization Error, which they have to be superhuman to be able to detect for audio.

I also started on the mathematical aspects of the classification of signals: odd and even, real and complex, and periodic and non-periodic. For the periodic signals, where, obviously the fundamental period T and fundamental frequency had to be computed, I gave the most basic example, which is the graph of the sine function.

One of the students who arrived late got confused when he started reading what I had written on the board. He thought it was an Electromagnetic Theory class because of the topic, and he was further confused by the fact that my cousin was there sitting in.*

In my mechanics lecture sessions for the second meeting of the sixth week of classes, we took up the addition of two dimensional vectors by component method.

I first had to introduce the standard forms of vectors, which is either the magnitude (numeric value) and the angle, or the x and y components. I taught them how to convert from one to another, and examples of quantities that are vectors (displacement, velocity, acceleration and force).

From there I went to getting the summation of either displacement or force (needing the components of velocity will fall under projectile motion, and opposing or compounded acceleration is a very rare case).

We also concentrated on the two dimensional illustration of the top view of horizontal motion, so I had to show them how to interpret directions called out as an angle north of east or west of south.

Next time we’ll take up the second two-dimensional interpretation of the side view of both horizontal and vertical motion, and its “special” application, projectile motion.

I also returned their first long exam to them, after forcing them to submit group envelopes for storing them (and the first quiz) throughout the term, in preparation for their computing their pre-final grades accurately and with no contested scores.

Results are generally lower than the first quiz (which had up to 80% bonuses) after all, but still consistent. I had to emphasize the temporary nature of the midterm grade they computed again, for those who got failing standings, and how it is still possible for them to make up for it.

I’ll continue on this tomorrow, the other topics I promised, some make up exams I have to prepare, our upcoming field trip, and more preparations for the Open Campus. For now, class dismissed.

*He is the eighth student enrolled in Electromagnetic Theory (he hasn’t taken up the prerequisite Differential Equations course, while it is Roland who is the eighth enrolled in Advanced Math (who failed in the required subject Electric Circuits 1 last term).