Converting equations

[Ruth Rosales 3D]

Hi,
While I was working on the homework a lot of my problems originated from wrongly converting equations. This occurred with equations as simple as E = hc/lambda

Any tips?

[Connie Liang 3L]

I would recommend writing out each step to the conversion while you're doing it. Sometimes, I find myself doing the steps in my head and skipping writing them down which leads to confusion. Hope that helps!

[Natalie 3k]

Hi, I come across this problem a lot too, but it helps me to write out each equation with units every step of the way, without skipping steps. Hope it helps!

[Melody Wu 2L]

I agree with the people above, but sometimes I get confused if I write down too much and end up forgetting a step like squaring a number. I usually just stop periodically as I'm solving to make sure I'm not missing something before moving on to the next step. Slowing down a little helps save time at the end :)

[Shrey Pawar 2A]

Personally I also just don't use the combined equation. Even though it is quicker to use hc/lamda for some reason it confuses me more. So I like to use the individual equations to solve for things and plugin afterwards that way I know exactly what I'm solving for. Hope this helps!

[EnricoArambulo3H]

When I solve the equation, I make sure to write my units out. So for E = hv, I do E Joules = h Joules * seconds / v seconds. It also helps to know that Joules is kgm^2/s^2 in these cases. You want to make sure that all the units cancel out except for the one you are solving for. I hope this helped!

[Gabriel Nitro 1E]

Hi,

A common tip I would use is to first write down what equations you will be working with right in front of you. From there, I would be sure to write out each step in the process without skipping any details as I am plugging in equations. Finally, I would check at the end to see if the units of both sides match up correctly.

Hope this helps! :)

[Annika Tamaki 1E]

I printed out Lavelle's formula sheet and have just recorded a bunch of common conversions. It has helped me become more familiar with them conceptionally, and I am more confident converting them for assignments.

[Cass Cheng 2A]

Hi! Like some commenters said, I like to write down everything before I proceed in solving the problem. I also found reading the problem multiple times to be extremely helpful. Each time I read, I try to make connections between each part and try to have a general idea of which way I'm supposed to proceed. That way I'll have a better idea of which equations to use, and if you have to convert, which equations you have to convert to.

[Madison Wong 3H]

Also make sure that you place parentheses in the right places when combining multiple steps of an equation, to make sure there aren't PEMDAS issues that could result in a wrong answer!

[ShinwooKim_3E]

Hi,
While I was working on the homework a lot of my problems originated from wrongly converting equations. This occurred with equations as simple as E = hc/lambda

Any tips?

I like highlighting or putting different shapes on a specific part of the equation I'm working on, and put a check mark so I know I completed the specific part of that question!

[Kelly Tran 1J]

Like others have said above, I think a good tip would be to write out every step of the problem solving just so you ensure that you are using every value that is required in the calculation. I also recommend writing out all of the units for each value as well because it is a great indication of whether or not you solved the problem correctly. For example, if your units do not cancel out correctly, it would mean that you either used the incorrect value or forgot to convert a value.

[Kiara Phillips 3L]

I suggest being extremely through, writing out every step with its corresponding units, maybe even a sentence on the side describing what you did during that step before moving on.

[Brian Bui 3H]

Something I'd like to add is to check your units. Like for example if you're calculating the frequency make sure the units you end up with is s^-1. This is a very simple example but you can apply it more complicated ones like Joules, where it should be kg x m^2 x s^-2.

[Morgan Gee 3B]

I personally found that not combining equations is easier for me to understand. I don't have to convert between equations and makes my work seem much more methodical.

[claraschwartz_3H]

I printed out Lavelle's formula sheet and have just recorded a bunch of common conversions. It has helped me become more familiar with them conceptionally, and I am more confident converting them for assignments.

That sounds like a great idea. Where did you find the formula sheet?

[Minoo Bastani 2J]

I printed out Lavelle's formula sheet and have just recorded a bunch of common conversions. It has helped me become more familiar with them conceptionally, and I am more confident converting them for assignments.

That sounds like a great idea. Where did you find the formula sheet?

The formula sheet can be found on the class website under "Constants and Equations", but here is the link anyways! Hope this helps :)

https://lavelle.chem.ucla.edu/wp-content/supporting-files/Chem14A/constants_equations.pdf