Height of a Zero Gravity Parabolic Flight Math 1010 Intermediate Algebra Group Project vownane: Brandon Castaneda Have you ever wondered what it might fee! lke to float Weightless in space? One way to try it out isto fly on 2 special aircraft that astronauts use to train for their trips to space. Both NASA and the Russian Space Agency have been flying these for years. The way this is accomplished is to fly to a high altitude, drop down to gain speed, and then star a large sis ‘parabolic path up in the sky. For a time ranging from 10 to 20 seconds, along the top part ofthe parabolic fight, an environment simulating zero gravity is created within the plane. This effect can cause some nausea in the participants, giving rse to the name "Vomit Comet”, the plane used by NASA for zero-G parabolic training fights. Currently there isa private company that wil sell ou a zero-G ride, ‘though it isa bit expensive, around $5000. ‘This lab will have you take a look atthe parabolic path to try to determine the maximum altitude the Plane reaches. First, you will work with data given about the parabola to come up with a quadratic ‘mode! for the fight. Then you will work to find the maximum value of the model. Now for the data: * Height of a Zero-G Flight t Seconds After Starting a Parabolic Hight Path Time rin seconds 2 10 20 Height 4 in feet 30,506 31,250 29,300 To find the quadratic model, you will be plugging the data into the model h = at? + bt +c. ‘The data points given are just like x and y values, where the x value is the time tin seconds and, the y value is the altitude h in feet. Plug these into the model and you will get equations with a, bande. Part 1: Write your 3 by 3 system of equations for a, b, and c. 30,506= aQy + bhatc 31,250 = A Clot thio) HE 24,300 = A Cry + bCz0) Ke ia, $06 YatrUbte 31,250 Moat lopre 214 300 = Yoont2ob tePart 2: Solve this system, Make sure to show your work. (30,5062 Ha +'2b+c) -25 31, 2502 fooa kobe 2762,6502 “looa-Sok~25¢ (30,506F=4q4zb hc) - 100 2,300 = Hooa H20b +c *-3,050,600 = “40a -Zadk ~100¢ =3, 021, 3002 ~1 FOh~Gqc ~Jai,doo= -Yob~24e ~73i Hoo > —Uob-24(39,0) ~731,400 2 —Uok ~720, 000 +720, 000 ee —|idoo= Yoh ee Tike a 30,062 4a $LC$269) $50,009 006 = HC) $y, fe 89) Poon 30S% = 64 +570 130000 30806 Ya +$70 +%,000 307506 =4Ha + 39,570 506 + 30,000 eon t 30,670 S06 4 . iA ecde te (az le Part 3: Using your solutions to the system from part 2 to form your quadratic model of the data, h- Ge £285¢ + 30,000 ¥ Cc Pie ee ~3, 021,300 = -180b -Fac > 3, 2ai,300 = 18ob floes 270,0%= AC 4 bez 6. CEM “17, & 12S EF 74.321 29406) ¥ -16) © 74.32 28944) + 29,20) hz 6 (4~g 4 06rs)*4 312 64.140 63 Axis ts (BIAaGE, 31,2 4. 14063) OX GA) U6 % Maximn yalve 75 31,264.14063 \ Part a: Find the maximum value of the quadratic function. Make sure to r/¢ your work.Part S: Sketch the parabola, Label the given data plus the maximum point. A good way to start labeling Your axes is to have the lower left point be (0, 25000) 2$,000 ° a G19 12 le zo Swords Part 6: Reflective Writing a Give some other examples of reali problems that could be solved using this same strategy? Dic this project change the way you think about how math can be applied to the real world? Write ‘one paragraph stating what ideas changed and why. If this project did not change the way You think, write how this project gave further evidence to support your existing opinion about applying math. Be specific. this Other examples fo. ater be tins bre tearch of basketball, on the Gree an alchwey fn acdhdtectve, Th coptcinty oped hy aye» fe how you an use mS tym oF function, TL untershood t Cun be User for Maxiava Quanbhes, bur E neuer Provght pype of Skalery woiel Peer 7 Abr oheginn Ib fo heights, This was a vey nee Projer,