Listing out data in calculations-What's the point? (1 Viewer)

[VuongstER_boi]

Hey ppls,
I was just wondering, what is the point of showing your data in calculations? Usually, I'd just skip to subbing it into the equation with saying this= that etc. But why is it important to list the data? Do you lost marks if you don't or what? Are there any advantages ? Thanks!

 

[hollyy.]

it helps u if its a hard question and it tells the marker that you know what ur talking about. my teacher puts alot of emphasis on it so i guess its important.

 

[honey44]

my teacher also says that too.

 

[karnage]

My teacher also makes us write down what we are given.

 

[VuongstER_boi]

Yeah, but where are the exam benefits of listing out data? Like, does listing out data save you any marks incase you do something wrong in your wokring out ? ( i dunno, i heard something along the lines of that but i need clarification ). Anyone?.....lol.

 

[acullen]

The benefit of listing it is that you can check that all units in the calculation match at an overview.

Say you are talking about the energy-mass equivalence equation,
if you are given:
Mass = 0.2 g
Speed of light = 3E+8 m/s

and you write:
E=mc^2
Where:
m = 0.2 g
c = 3E+8 m/s

...it shows the teacher/marker that you understand the meanings of all substitutable quantities in your equation. Whilst something like the above example would be hard to confuse quantities, if you have a relatively more complex equation, for example the Bethe-Bloch formula, writing down data enables you to check all units at a glance.

 

[clonestar]

Excellent organisation is the key to success.

Setting out is extremely important in Physics.

This is especially true when doing the harder style questions as your organisation and layout play a huge role in actually arriving at the answer.

And for us examiners it is much easier to see how the answer is derived from the working out rather than seeing an answer which may actually be copied from someone else in the class.

Hope this helps.

 

[VuongstER_boi]

yes yes it helps. Thankyou =)!