Adventures in Problem Solving

1) Relax and slowly read the problem.
You should relax. These problems were not formulated to trick you. Put the problem in context and try to relate to what the problem encompasses.
2) What is the unknown value that you must find in this problem?
Focus your attention on what value the problem wants you to determine. Make a guess
at the answer! Knowing the approximate value will give you confidence in your journey.
3) What are the known values that the problem gives you?
Look to see what values the problem has given you to determine the known value.
Are there any other known values that you can use?
4) Draw a diagram. Label the known values and implied values in the problem.
Drawing a diagram is essential and fun. Accurate diagramming skills will lead you along the right path in future problem solving. You will begin to connect known values with parts of the diagram. Drawing a diagram will help you understand the physical principles involved. List the known values in a tabular form. This will help you in determining which equation to use.
5) Write down a few equations that include the known values and
the unknown value given in the problem.
Write down a few equations that you think will help you. Don't look for the right equation. Looking for the right equation will deny you a rich understanding of this problem and future problems. There may be more than one way to solve the problem. Discovering dead-ends are as important as finding the right path to your solution.
6) You may first have to solve an intermediate equation to obtain a value needed for
the main equation. Then, solve the main equation for the unknown value.
Many solutions will involve solving for an intermediate value that must be used to solve for the one equation that will get the unknown value called for in the problem. That's why you want to have more equations written down than you think you need. Making connections between the equations and the given values requires that you look at the whole puzzle.
There is more than one path to completing any puzzle
7) Check your answer. Does your answer make sense?
If you found the distance to the Sun from the Earth to be 1.5 x 10^5 meters,
ask yourself if this is correct!