Re: Jumping Ahead

[eachus@spectre.mitre.org (Robert I. Eachus)]

In article <5edu5k$lb0@ultranews.duc.auburn.edu> greerjo@mail.auburn.edu (John M. Greer) writes:

  > I'm a Computer Engineering Major in my first Ada course, and we have a 
  > lab assignment due Thursday that is not complicated, just uses a few 
  > procedures, etc.  The problem is, I've programmed since HS (using c++, 
  > only an amateur), but my only advantage is an addiction to "proper 
  > style."  My dilemma is this:  we have not yet learned to implement 
  > RECORDs.  To do this program justice, I could:
  > (1):  Put everything in the program declarations and throw global 
  > variables across namespace.
  > (2):  Declare a record, encapsulate with packages, etc.

  (3) Pass all the elements that would be record components as
separate parameters?

  > We didn't learn this in class yet, but I learned it on my own and
  > used it.  Now I'm proud of my program, but I'm worried.  Do you
  > think my lab instructor will be annoyed that I skipped a few
  > chapters ahead?  (I'm not doing this for brownie points, just
  > something I wanted to do.)

  Then do it.

    But sometimes you can't win.  Years ago there was a question on a
calculus test: A twenty foot rope with a (frictionless) pulley A on
one end is passed over two (frictionless) pulleys B and C five feet
apart and twelve feet above the floor, then through the pulley on the
end of the rope.  The free end is attached to a ten pound weight.
When the system is at equilibrium, what is the angle ABC?  Show your
work.

     Well the answer is obvious--at equilibrium the sum of the forces
on pulley A must be zero, and that can only happen if the three rope
segements meet at 120 degrees, so ABC is 60 degrees.

     But I still have no clue as to how to solve this problem using
calculus...
   
--

					Robert I. Eachus

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