Your assignment is to go to
and click on the following beam:
Note that you may have to go to a real computer to view this material. IPads and smart phones may not be able to handle it.
It will generate a random problem for you. For example:
Before starting, make sure that you understand how to get the reactions that have already been solved for you, as shown, 1.83 kips for this case, by summing moments about either end. Then on the bottom right, click on “Show me how”, and let him solve the problem for you.
Click on the “Next” button to see how the problem is solved. Read the notes for comments on the solution.
Read all of the instructions and keep on hitting the “Next” button when you fully understand what’s going on.
When you understand what has been presented so far, hit the “Next Question” button at the top and repeat the process until you have seen enough solutions that you fully understand how to solve such problems.
Then hit the “Next Question” button and then “Help me solve the problem”, where he will give you hints about a solution if you get the answers wrong.
For the random problem generated, enter your responses to the questions and hit the “Check answer” button. If you get the answer incorrect, you can move on by hitting “Next”.
Continue doing this until you feel that you do indeed know how to work such a problem.
Once at that level, Click on the “Next Question” button for a last time, and click on “Give me an exam”.
Note that the module has an error where it says “What is the maximum value of shear stress on the beam” and it should read “What is the maximum value of shear force in the beam”.
Note also that when you take a quiz, his answer for maximum moment in the beam is sadly incorrect. It tells you that your answer is wrong, even though you are entering the correct value, but that’s not your problem. If you really understand how to do this, you will not be swayed by his ignorance.
Note that being basically lazy, I often let this website generate random problems for me for use on major exams in this course. That way I can give everyone a different problem and already have the solutions printed out.