Why Are Shot Puts Thrown at 31°? Using Autograph for Applications of the Parabola

Autograph is a two- and three-dimensional dynamic statistics and graphing utility, developed in England, that has grown out of direct classroom experience. A simple select-and-right-click interface, together with tools such as Autograph's unique Slow Plot, Scribble Tool, and dynamic Constant Co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Mathematics teacher 2010-05, Vol.103 (9), p.689-692
Main Authors: Butler, Douglas, Lynch-Davis, Kathleen, Goodson-Espy, Tracy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Athletics
Autographs
Computer Assisted Instruction
Educational Technology
Equations (Mathematics)
Games
Graph theory
Mathematical Concepts
Mathematical constants
Mathematical vectors
Mathematics Instruction
Mathematics teachers
Olympic games
Parabolas
Shot put
Teaching Methods
Technology
Technology Tips
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Summary:Autograph is a two- and three-dimensional dynamic statistics and graphing utility, developed in England, that has grown out of direct classroom experience. A simple select-and-right-click interface, together with tools such as Autograph's unique Slow Plot, Scribble Tool, and dynamic Constant Controller help make the classroom experience interactive. Autograph can be used to introduce most students to their first nonlinear function. To their surprise, they will discover that parabolas are everywhere. In this article, the author illustrates applications and solutions in finding the angle of elevation for games like shot-put and javelin toss using Autograph. (Contains 12 figures.)
ISSN:0025-5769
2330-0582