Extra Credit: Compiling a Formula Card

Updated: Thu Jan 17 11:42:19 MST 2008

The project here is to make up a "cheat sheet" or reminder and reference sheet.

Although you cannot use your sheet on exams or quizzes, preparing it may be long-term helpful.

Your reference sheet must be in your own handwriting and crammed onto one side of an 8½-by-11 sheet of paper.

Begin by preparing a reference sheet to help with Test #1. Some suggestions:

1. List the things that give you trouble, things you'd like to have a reminder for.
2. For each of these "trouble" items, write down relevant formulas, and perhaps a good example or homework-problem solution. If you know of a mnemonic device for formulas or facts, write it in. Now you have a basis for a reference sheet.
3. Condense your reference sheet. Boil it down.
4. Prune your reference sheet. Perhaps some items will become less of a "trouble" for you, and can be removed from your reference sheet. For instance, the quadratic formula shouldn't waste space on your reference sheet.
5. Every few days, rewrite your reference sheet. Boil, condense, prune. Maybe even try to write it out from memory.

Write your name, class, and section on the blank side. Your instructor will likely ask for you to turn in your current draft every so often.

Bring your reference sheet along to Test #1 and turn it in to the instructor before you take the exam.

After Test #1, start in on a new version for the next test. And so on, for all the hour exams and for the final.