Sarah Friedrichs

Height of a Zero Gravity Parabolic Flight

Math 1010 Intermediate Algebra Grou Pro!ect Have you ever wondered what it might feel like to float weightless in space? One way to try it out is to fly on a special aircraft that astronauts use to train for their trips to space. Both NASA and the Russian Space Agency have een flying these for years. !he way this is accomplished is to fly to a high altitude" drop down to gain speed" and then start a large para olic path up in the sky. #or a time ranging from $% to &% seconds" along the top part of the para olic flight" an environment simulating 'ero gravity is created within the plane. !his effect can cause some nausea in the participants" giving rise to the name ()omit *omet+" the plane used y NASA for 'ero,- para olic training flights. *urrently there is a private company that will sell you a 'ero,- ride" though it is a it e.pensive. !his la will have you take a look at the para olic path to try to determine the ma.imum altitude the plane reaches. #irst" you will work with data given a out the para ola to

come up with a /uadratic model for the flight. !hen you will work to find the ma.imum value of the model. Now for the data0 Height of a Zero-G Flight t Seconds After Starting a Parabolic Flight Path &% 1&%$4 5$6 5&6 516 !o find the /uadratic model" you will e plugging the data into the model . !he data points given are 7ust like . and y values" where the . value is the time t in seconds and the y value is the altitude h in feet. 8lug these into the model and you will get e/uations with a" and c. Part 1: Write your 3 by 3 system of equations for a, b, and c. y 9 a.: ; . ; c < h 9 at: ; t ; c h 9 Height in #eet t 9 !ime in Seconds "ime t in seconds Height h in feet & &1234

5$6 5&:6a ; 5&6 ; c 9 &1234 < 3a ; & ; c 9 &1234 5&6 5&%:6a ; 5&%6 ; c 9 1&%$4 < 3%%a ; &% ; c 9 1&%$4 516 53%:6a ; 53%6 ; c 9 11=$4 < $2%%a ; 3% ; c 9 11=$4

Part 2: Solve this system. Make sure to sho Solve 5$6 for c0 5$6 3a ; & ; c 9 &1234 ,3a ,& c 9 &1234 > 3a > & Su stitute for c in 5&6 and solve for 0 5&6 3%%a ; &% ; c 9 1&%$4 3%%a ; &% ; 5&1234 > 3a > & 6 9 1&%$4 3%%a ; &% ; &1234 > 3a > & 9 1&%$4 ,&1234 ,&1234 3%%a > 3a ; &% > & 9 1&%$4 > &1234 1?2a ; $@ 9 @1=% Aivide y $@0 1?2a ; $@ 9 @1=% $@ &&a ; 9 324 ,&&a ,&&a 9 324 > &&a ,3a ,&

your

ork.

Su stitute for and c in 5160 $2%%a ; 3% ; c 9 11=$4 $2%%a ; 3%5324 > &&a6 ; 5&1234 > 3a > & 6 9 11=$4 $2%%a > 3%5&&6a > 3a > & 9 11=$4 > &1234 > $@2%% =$2a > & 9 ,@41% Su stitute for again in 516B Su stitute to find =$2a > &5324 > &&a6 9 ,@41% =$2a ; 33a 9 ,@41% ; ?1% =2%a 9 ,=2%% a 9 ,$% 9 324 > &&5,$%6 9 2@4 c 9 &1234 > 35,$%6 > &52@46 9 &&1$4 System solution0 a 9 ,$% 9 2@4 c 9 &&1$4 and c0

Part 3: !sin" your solutions to the system from #art 2 to form your quadratic model of the data. h 9 Height in #eet t 9 !ime in Seconds y 9 a.: ; . ; c < h 9 at: ; t ; c

h5t6 9 ,$%t& ; 2@4t ; &&1$4 Part $: %ind the ma&imum value of the quadratic function. Make sure to sho your ork. !he verte. of the para ola given y f5.6 9 a.: ; . ; c is 5 , C&a " f5 , C&a66 or 5 , C&a" 3ac > :C3a 6 !he .,coordinate of the verte. is , C5&a6 !he second coordinate of the verte. is most commonly found y computing f5 , C&a6. )erte. of para ola located at t 9 > & Ca 9 ,&52@46C5,$%6 9 13.&4 seconds Da.imum value 9 ,$%513.&46& ; 2@4513.&46 ; &&1$4 9 13"%34.2&4 Part ': Sketch the #arabola. (abel the "iven data #lus the ma&imum #oint. ) "ood ay to start labelin" your a&es is to have the lo er left #oint be *+, 2++++,

Part -: .eflective Writin". /id this #ro0ect chan"e the ay you think about ho math can be a##lied to the real orld1 Write one #ara"ra#h statin" hat ideas chan"ed and hy. 2f this #ro0ect did not chan"e the ay you think, rite ho this #ro0ect "ave further evidence to su##ort your e&istin" o#inion about a##lyin" math. 3e s#ecific. En some ways" this pro7ect AEA change the way E think a out how math can e applied to the world. Although they may not e everyday situations for most people... math is still crucial to many 5if not all6 of humanityFs greatest accomplishments. EtFs common sense that companies like NASA use math" ut itFs 7ust not something E ever really decided to think a out or look into. !his pro7ect gave me a it of insight on how alge ra is used to create recreational opportunitiesG Dost math students often ask the /uestion" (Hhen am E actually going to use this?+. !o e honest" you may not. Et really does depend on your profession. However" thatFs why certain career paths re/uire certain levels of math classes taken.