Use the Physics data booklet with a clear model
Find an applicable relationship, understand its symbols and check the physical meaning of the answer.
Start with the physical situation
Identify the system, the quantity being asked for and the conditions stated in the task. Sketch a diagram when forces, motion, fields or geometry matter. Name the quantities you know, including units and directions where relevant. Looking for an equation containing the same letters is an unreliable substitute for understanding the situation. The useful first question is which physical relationship applies and what assumptions allow you to use it.
Match an equation to its conditions
Use the current data booklet supplied for your course and examination. Locate a possible relationship and explain what each symbol represents in the present situation. Check any model assumptions, such as constant acceleration or an idealized component, before applying it. Related equations may refer to different conditions. If a relationship does not directly give the unknown, identify a legitimate intermediate quantity rather than forcing the available numbers into the wrong expression.
Try an illustrative motion task
Consider a vehicle accelerating uniformly from rest at 2.0 m s⁻² for 5.0 s. The constant-acceleration model gives a final speed of 10 m s⁻¹ and a displacement of 25 m. The setup matters: uniform acceleration is stated, the initial speed is zero and the time interval is known. If acceleration changed during the interval, these substitutions would no longer establish the same result. The example demonstrates how a condition justifies a relationship; it is not an actual examination question.
Check units and vector meaning
Rearrange the relationship carefully, then substitute values in compatible units. Inspect whether the resulting dimensions match the unknown. Decide whether the question asks for a scalar magnitude or a quantity with direction. A negative component can describe direction relative to an axis rather than an impossible physical result. Where a graph is supplied, distinguish a value, gradient and area; each can represent a different physical quantity. Use the interpretation to test whether your calculation answers the task.
Practise locating relationships without racing
Build familiarity through short tasks: find a relationship, identify the symbols and state its applicable conditions. Follow each with an actual problem so the activity remains connected to reasoning. Keep a small list of relationships you repeatedly confuse and compare their meanings. Do not rewrite the entire booklet as a memory project. Check the permitted booklet, annotations and calculator arrangements with your school before an examination; different practice documents may not match the version you will receive.
Review the physical answer
Make an approximate estimate or limiting-case check when useful. Ask whether the result fits the scale and conditions of the situation, then explain it in context if required. When an answer fails this check, inspect the model choice, units, algebra and numerical entry in that order. Record the source of the error and retry a related task with changed conditions. This review turns the booklet into a reasoning aid rather than a collection of formulas that appear to guarantee the right method.
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Official references
This is an original practical guide from IBvia. The examples are illustrative; your subject guide, assessment year and school instructions determine the requirements.
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