Northern Brewer Double IPA question

so the kit gives me a smack pack of safale us-05 yeast. directions say to take out a few days before brewing. I plan on brewing friday so i am going to take it out tomorrow. it says to "smack". which i assume literally means to smack. ok no prob, but then the directions say to prepare a yeast starter kit. What is that??? or do i just consider the yeast to be activated if the smack pack is inflated and go ahead and sprinkle in finished wort???

from what i have read it seems like a smack pack doesnt use a starter kit. So this is where my confusion lies

I'm still a relatively noob, but I have never seen a Safale US 05 in a smack pack version. I thought Wyeast was the only one that made a smack pack??? Either way, I have never made a starter for my yeast, but probably will one day. A lot of people on here do. I also don't rehydrate my yeast and I'm sure some folks with disagree with that! Just my opinion, FWIW.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-5.html

This will show you how to re-hydrate your yeast and if you look a little further down it will tell you how to make a starter. Either way, you should buy this book.

Safale US-05 is a dry yeast. You don't smack it. If you had purchased the Wyeast 1056 American Ale liquid yeast, you would smack it.

A yeast starter is when you make a small beer a couple days ahead of time and pitch yeast into it and let it ferment--it creates a ton more yeast which can help your fermentation. Check out the Yeast section for instructions, or better yet Youtube.

thanks a lot. I will let ya know how it turns out