Physics homework can be challenging and frustrating, especially when you don't understand the concepts. Even if you're getting good grades in your physics class, there may be some problems with your homework that are holding you back. That is why some students are looking for additional resources to get physics homework help. Here are five of the most common problems with physics homework, and how to overcome them.

1. Guessing or assuming the answer

Sometimes when you're doing your homework, you get so frustrated or annoyed that you just start guessing. You may even assume that the answer must be a particular value just because you want it to be, or because it fits with something from a previous class. This is a common mistake that happens even to good students. The best way to overcome it is to actively fight the urge to guess and, instead, when you’re unsure about a problem, just mark it as such and return to it later. When you take the time to review your work and check for errors, you usually find that you have more time than you thought, and that you can actually figure things out correctly.

2. Focusing on small details instead of the big picture

When doing your homework, it’s easy to get caught up in verifying all the details. For example, if you’re asked to calculate a particular value such as an angle, velocity, or acceleration, you may feel like you need to calculate each value down to the decimal point. But this is often unnecessary. Often, your homework assignment will require that you understand the big picture, so it’s more helpful to just give you the answer rounded to a reasonable number of decimal places. Focusing on tiny details can distract you from understanding the overall problem.

3. Misinterpreting the instructions or formula

Homework problems are often written in such a way that it’s easy to misinterpret what the question is asking you to do. For example, there may be a formula for calculating an angle in a physics problem, but the problem might ask you to provide the magnitude of a velocity instead. Sometimes the words used in a problem on paper will make it easy for you to jump to wrong conclusions. The best way to solve this problem is to carefully reread the problem and make sure that you understand what the instructor is asking you to do. Sometimes, you may even have to write out the problem in your own words before you can understand what the instruction sheet is telling you.

4. Overestimating or underestimating the time needed to complete a problem

One of the most common mistakes students make when doing their physics homework is overestimating how much time they have to complete a task. This often happens when a student is given a new week-long homework assignment just before they leave for vacation or before a major holiday. When this happens, students tend to put off working on their homework until the last minute, and then spend most of their time panicking instead of learning. If you find yourself in this situation, the best thing you can do is be realistic and carve out small (15–30 minute) blocks of time to devote to your homework each day. If you don’t have any time left at night and everything must be done immediately, plan ahead by reserving small chunks of time each day to tackle your homework assignments.

5. Not using (and reinventing) the tools available to help you do your physics homework

There are lots of tools online that will help you do your physics homework faster and with less stress. The more experienced you become with various types of physics problems, the less time you’ll need to spend on any one problem. Once you’ve done a few velocity problems or solved dozens of equations for resistance, you’ll know the approaches to these problems by heart and won’t need to spend as much time on them in the future. Similarly, once you’ve done several homework assignments for one class, you’ll know the format of new assignments and will be able to jump into the work immediately. In other words, once you’ve mastered some skills and learned how to do them efficiently, it gets easier and easier to do your physics homework as time goes on.

As you progress through school, doing your physics homework will become less of a hassle and more of a routine. But for now, it needs to be manageable and realistic to fit into your schedule. Most importantly, if you’re having trouble with a particular subject or class, talk to your teacher or a tutor about it as soon as possible. Small adjustments now can save you from having to retake an entire class—which will save you time and embarrassment in the long run.