/

Q;'t

Height of aZero Gravity Parabolic Flight

Math 1 01 0 Intermediate Algebra Group
Project
you ever vrondered what it might feel Iike to
float weightless in space? One way to try it out is to fly
on a special aircraft that astronauts use to train for
Have

their trips to space. Both NASA and the Russian Space

Agency have been flying these for years. The way this
is accomplished is io fly to a high altitude, drop dorvn
to gain speed, and ifien siart a large parabolic path up
in the sky. For: a iime ranging from 10 io 20 seconds,
along the top par'i of ihe parabolic flight, an environment simulating zero gravity is created within the
plane. This effest can cause some nausea in the participants, giving rise to the name "Vomit comet",

Currentlythereisaprivatecompanythat

theplaneusecibyNASAforzero-Gparabolictrainingflights.
will sell you a zero-G ride, though it is a bit expensive.

This lab will have you take a look at the 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
model for the flight. Then you will work to find the maximum value of the model. Now for the data:

Height of aZero-G Flight t Seconds After

ra
botic Fliellt
rugrrr Path
ng a raraDofic
P
Startine

Time r in seconds
Height /l in feet

70

4A

2364s

32015

33715

To find the quadratic model, you will be plugging the data into the model . The data points
given are just like x and y valL:es, where the x value is ihe time t in seconds and- the.y value is

ihe altitude h in feet. Plug these into the model and you
Part 1: Write your 3 by 3 system of equations for a, b, and

-- a,xz+bx+c.

-,, ,i,,iT1l'"i:r.i;:ii,4

c.

F$)
,,,'' i6
: ;;"*",oi*"*

/\'\j\

riJ

t i) lfl
I I l,rlr0
i,i,(
-- !
rr(;r',)r t
t1ot),;,:Ltl4'
7l\rrrUr,1lb-q t"f tr)'ll,fll{j )tt

iriii

,)

Part 2: Solve this system.

Make sure to show your work.

ti,'.1i,)' J l-i .',_1,

_
xr)'_l':'

7!tlr.,t

bb1l5

Itl

olltr) _ I t,Lzl)fc

il

gA)) | l: i,tA) t t

) )l,tt.y., tl(,:1 ) r i
))b)Cl5 - 1,,,r' I .,,, I,
I

'

b)

:: !

i7,

lb66 rr t't$bt

+1

Gt-{

LdbQ bq t ta bl

)bb+5

fiiltb

bctbL'lo)tl8b=0;

l/) fi.-ls

I 7i

tbq

b0

t zqtpa

Q: ,D

b'

L-I
rtu
t-1

,",1rr,,
,rt,"*^r,._1rr,"',yl'.l;

i{I\-Av'1ir{

to

*,! iyrt",

from parr 2 ro form

,ou, ourr.r,ic modet of the data

o.:tlo' Findthe':l':"valueofthequadraticfun*ion.
',

,ii

i^
-

\,

I!,rakesuretoshorvyourv,rork

i.

" -"

"i

.tj

r0\

'oB5

tI

Part 5: Sketch the parabola. Label the given data plus the maximum point. A good way to start labeling
your axes is to have the Ior,,,rer Ieit point be (0, 20000)

rL

(b4'"'

g4't)45)

(40,t?l15)

* \tb)
50POc

dhg1
,u,,

, tlla.i

i /'

\')

1bY''"

Part 6: Reflective Writing.

Did 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. lf this project did not change the
way you think, write how this project gave further evidence to slrpport your existing opinion
about applying math. Be specific.