Back-of-the-Envelope Calculations part of Quantitative Skills:Teaching Methods:Back of the Envelope Calculations
Barbara Tewksbury, Hamilton College Many numbers that we use in the geosciences are outside a student's frame of reference and personal experience. Using back-of-the envelope calculations that help put very ...

Student Frame of Reference and Experience part of Quantitative Skills:Teaching Methods:Back of the Envelope Calculations
Students' Frame of Reference Students are personally familiar with and can easily visualize: Time periods in seconds, minutes, hours, days, and years (decades to centuries) Horizontal distances ranging from a ...