Master Equation Sheet to solve equation sheet misplacement

Nicholas Tader, a junior majoring in materials engineering, created a Master Equation Sheet containing equations used in undergraduate engineering classes for freshmen and sophomore years. The website is free for anybody to use and is continuously being updated with more equations.

“The equation sheet is meant as a hub for equations used in most of the core STEM courses,” Tader said. “From the GitHub site, students can pick a subject and view all the equations relating to that topic.”

Topics and subjects currently on the Master Equations Sheet include:

Mathematics

Algebra
Geometry
Trigonometry
Calculus

Physics

Classical Mechanics
Electricity and Magnetism
Modern Physics/Quantum Mechanics

Dynamics
Mechanics
Materials Engineering

Mechanical Properties
Diffusion
Phase Diagrams
Phase Transformations
Failure/Fracture Mechanics
Polymer Properties
Composites
Ceramic Properties
Corrosion and Degradation
Electrical Properties
Thermal Properties
Magnetic Properties
Optical Properties

Appendix

Greek Characters
International System of Units (IS) Prefixes
Constants
SI Base Unit
Unit Circle

“I’ve found this document to cover everything I could need in my academic work. The best part about this equation sheet is its accessibility and convenience,” Isaac Schrooten, a sophomore in materials engineering, said. “Having all the necessary equations and concepts in one spot makes it quick and easy to use as a reference. It is also thoughtfully organized and presented in a clear and easy-to-understand format.”

The Master Equation Sheet is categorized into the different subjects and topics with the equations that belong to that particular subject underneath. Some equations used in multiple subjects may be under another subject to avoid duplicate equations.

“During my first two years of college, I was continually going back and forth between multiple references across the internet. I wanted to consolidate everything into one place and make it easy to access,” Tader said. “it’s something I wish I had my first two years of college, and I think that others could benefit from it as a reference.”

Topics that will be included on the Master Equation Sheet in the future include:

Chemistry
Appendix

Unit Conversions
Periodic Table
General English Units
General Metric Units

Tader recommended bookmarking the website and using the files at the top of the page since the Master Equation Sheet is constantly updated. The most recent version will not be available if a student downloads it as a PDF.

“I think students will get the most out of the collection if they need to reference past classes,” Tader said. “As an example, perhaps you need to remember something from physics but don’t remember the exact name of the principle. Viewing the physics section can help refresh your memory and give you a better idea than blindly searching for equations online.”

There are a plethora of equations, scientific constants and prefixes on the Master Equations Sheet, which could be overwhelming for some students.

“There are lots of good formulas that students should be familiar with,” Steve Butler, Morrill professor of mathematics, said. “But it also has quite a bit of extraneous information, which would be distracting.”

The entire Master Equation Sheet was created on Apple Pages, uploaded, and is now available on a GitHub website. The logo was then constructed using Procreate.

According to the Master Sheets Equation FAQ, Tader said. “Because of the built-in LaTeX editor and the downloaded CMU font, it appears to be written in LaTeX.”

“Whether in chemistry, physics or calculus, you can count on the equation you need to be on there,” Schrooten said.

This sheet is not an exhaustive list and is meant as an extra resource for STEM major students or students in STEM-related classes.

“I’m always open to receiving recommendations and feedback,” Tader said. “So, in a way, the site grows to meet the needs of other students.