The Lorentz velocity addition formula for one-dimensional motion presents a number of problems for beginning students of special relativity. In this paper we suggest a simple rewrite of the formula that is easier for students to memorize and manipulate, and furthermore is more intuitive in understanding the correction necessary when adding relativistic effects to the Galilean velocity addition formula.

1.
William E.
Dibble
,
Grant W.
Hart
, and
Harold T.
Stokes
, “
A pedagogical note on the relativistic velocity addition formula
,”
Phys. Teach.
37
,
369
(Sept.
1999
).
2.
Raymond A. Serway and Jerry S. Faughn, College Physics, 6th ed. (Brooks/Cole-Thomson Learning, Pacific Grove, CA, 2003), p. 823.
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