4 ms·
My HP-49g+ was definitely load-bearing going through EE. I was never much good at memorizing big sheets of formulas but I was pretty good at memorizing a couple
by tonyarkles 1y ago
My HP-49g+ was definitely load-bearing going through EE. I was never much good at memorizing big sheets of formulas but I was pretty good at memorizing a couple of simple differential equations (e.g. I(t) = C dv(t)/dt was easy, v(t) = v_s * e^(-t/RC) wouldn't stick). So I'd just... derive all of the "special case" formulas from scratch during the exam. Usually they were simple enough that I could just get them into the right form but I'd lean on my calculator doing the symbolic integration for me when they weren't.
The other thing it was awesome for was solving systems of linear equations. I could do the nodal or loop analysis just fine, I'd write down the matrix that represented the system of equations and then just punch that matrix in and invert it.
- selimthegrim 1y agoYou did the capacitor DE in your head? The analytical solution requires a “trick” (integrating factor) usually taught in an intro DE class.
- tonyarkles 1y agoIt became second nature pretty quickly! Dunno what to tell you, my brain's wired funny :D The day when the relationship between s in a Laplace transform and d/dt finally clicked was also a really excellent day :D