Practice problems in EM and optics

[vvega]

Hi everybody,
does anyone know any book with practice problems in electromagnetism and optics which are quite close to the GRE type?

Thank you!

[physics_auth]

Hi everybody,
does anyone know any book with practice problems in electromagnetism and optics which are quite close to the GRE type?

Thank you!

Why don't you search on your own to find out this? Your kind of question implies that you do not seach a lot ... .

[grae313]

Check the stickied threads in the entire forum devoted to "Problems, Solutions, and Discussion"

[physics_auth]

Check the stickied threads in the entire forum devoted to "Problems, Solutions, and Discussion"

I am not sure that your suggestion will please him a lot ... if he had already searched, then he wouldn't have asked for help ... .

[grae313]

No ***, that's why I'm telling him where to look...

[vvega]

Actually I have already looked for this information in almost all the posts of the PGRE section of the forum. Of course I know many books with problems in EM and optics, but I was wondering if there is anyone here who thinks to have found books with problems in a way similar to the GRE's ones, in particular in the level of "practicity" needed, which may be one of the weak points of a student who has a good theoretical background but not so good practical skills.

[physics_auth]

... which may be one of the weak points of a student who has a good theoretical background but not so good practical skills.

These two things sound contradictory. Good theoretical background "usually" entails good problem-solving skills ... or else your theoretical background is weak. How else to interpret it? Anyway, I think that the answer to your question (about the book) is negative.

[vvega]

These two things sound contradictory. Good theoretical background "usually" entails good problem-solving skills ... or else your theoretical background is weak. How else to interpret it? Anyway, I think that the answer to your question (about the book) is negative.

Indeed you said "usually". Think to a mathematician who has a strong knowledge in linear PDE's, and think to a physicist who is used to work on schroedinger equation. Probably, the latter will be very quick to answer practical questions about that equation when you give him a potential V, the former will be not. Nevertheless, if you give time to the mathematician he will be able to prove all the statements of the physicist, and the physicist may be not.
Of course this is an extreme example..