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    $\begingroup$ Does this answer your question? How is the concept of "work done" useful? and the links therein. $\endgroup$
    – Farcher
    Commented Jan 18 at 13:12
  • $\begingroup$ You might need to look more into how your textbook defines the terms and symbols. It should not be so that $W_{net}$ is both the sum of everything and just the kinetic energy change at the same time. Maybe you are reading these formulas from different scenarios $\endgroup$
    – Steeven
    Commented Jan 18 at 13:23
  • $\begingroup$ What is the text book? I would say $W_{\rm net} = W_{{\rm not-}x} + W_x$ for all values of $x$...but I just can't follow what's going on in that book. $\endgroup$
    – JEB
    Commented Jan 18 at 15:36
  • $\begingroup$ "However, my teacher states that" $\to$ the $W$ appearing in there is the net work done by forces exerted by objects outside the system, whereas $W_{net}$ at the beginning is the work done by all forces on the system, including those forces exerted between objects inside the system. $\endgroup$
    – march
    Commented Jan 18 at 16:47