Go For The Gold! - Directions

 

How it Works:

Using the Go For The Gold! Interactive is quite simple. There are 16 difficulty levels and each difficulty level involves the same task: you must add as many gold coins as possible to a bag without breaking the rope(s) from which the bag is suspended. To add a gold coin to the bag, tap on the Add Coin button near the bottom of the screen. The number of coins in the bag will be updated. Continue adding the coins using the same Add Coin button. But do be careful ... if you add too much weight to the bag the rope will break and you will lose the chance to earn the coins. So add just enough coins without breaking the rope and then tap on the Stop and Collect button. This will end your level. If you've added the maximum number of coins, then you will be awarded with a star for that level (for successful completion) and the gold coins will be added to your growing collection. If you've added less than the maximum number of coins, then the coins you added will be added to your collection but you will not earn the star. You will be able to attempt the level a second time in order to earn the star. 

The stars are displayed on the Main Menu screen next to the level buttons. The number of gold coins collected is displayed below your name on the same screen. Repeated attempts can be made on any level but you will only receive the gold coins on your first attempt at a level.

 

Getting Help

You will notice that there is a Help Me button on the bottom right side of the Interactive. You should learn to use this feature of the program. It's how you can turn an exercise in answering questions into an exercise in learning. Tapping on the Help Me button will open a page with some pretty extensive help. Of course, a Help page is only helpful if you read it. So take the time to read it. The Help page contains three sections: a discussion of the The Basic Idea, a section titled "How to Think About This Situation", and a set of links to resources in our Tutorial section. You should pay attention to the section titled How to Think About This Situation. You will find what you need to know for just about any level in this Interactive. You will also become a better Physics student for doing that. That is, after all, the goal of such an activity as the Go For The Gold! Interactive​.

Thanks for being patient with the Directions. Happy learning!