Jay Orear

LEAST SQUARES WHEN BOTH VARIABLES HAVE UNCERTAINTIES

The standard least‐squares method should not be applied to those rather common situations where both dependent and independent variables have errors. Instead, the effective variance method should be used. This method and the standard least‐squares method are presented, along with a derivation of the general form of the effective variance method.

Black Holes and Pulsars in the Introductory Physics Course.

A semi-quantitative presentation of gravitational collapse into white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes is given at the level of the introductory college physics course. Final radii, star composition, and critical masses are estimated using basic principles from the introductory course.