Height of a Zero Gravity Parabolic Flight

Math 1010 Intermediate Algebra Group Project

Have you ever ondered hat it might feel li!e to "oat eightle## in #pace$
%ne ay to try it out i# to "y on a #pecial aircraft that a#tronaut# u#e to train
for their trip# to #pace& 'oth (A)A and the *u##ian )pace Agency have been
"ying the#e for year#& +he ay thi# i# accompli#hed i# to "y to a high
altitude, drop don to gain #peed, and then #tart a large parabolic path up in
the #!y& For a time ranging from 10 to -0 #econd#, along the top part of the
parabolic "ight, an environment #imulating .ero gravity i# created ithin the
plane& +hi# e/ect can cau#e #ome nau#ea in the participant#, giving ri#e to
the name 01omit 2omet3, the plane u#ed by (A)A for .ero4G parabolic
training "ight#& 2urrently there i# a private company that ill #ell you a .ero4
G ride, though it i# a bit e5pen#ive&
+hi# lab ill have you ta!e a loo! at the parabolic path to try to determine
the ma5imum altitude the plane reache#& Fir#t, you ill or! ith data given
about the parabola to come up ith a 6uadratic model for the "ight& +hen
you ill or! to 7nd the ma5imum value of the model& (o for the data8
Height of a
Zero-G Flight
t Seconds
After Starting
a Parabolic
Flight Path
+ime t in
#econd# - -0 90
Height h in feet -:;9< :-01< ::=1<
+o 7nd the 6uadratic model, you ill be plugging the data into the model &
+he data point# given are ju#t li!e 5 and y value#, here the 5 value i# the
time t in #econd# and the y value i# the altitude h in feet& Plug the#e into the
model and you ill get e6uation# ith a, b and c&
Part 18 >rite your : by : #y#tem of e6uation# for a, b, and c&
at ?@bt@cAh
1. 1& aB-C? @ -b @ c A-:,;9< 1& 9a @ -b @ c
A-:,;9<
2. -& aB-0C? @ -0b @ c A:-,01< -& 900a @ -0b @ c
A:-,01<
3. :& aB90C? @ 90b @ c A::,=1< :& 1,;00a @ 90b @ c
A::,=1<
Part -8 )olve thi# #y#tem& Ma!e #ure to #ho your or!&
1. 1& 9a @ -b @ c A-:,;9< 410B9a@-b@cA-:,;9<C 490a 4 -0b 4
10c A4-:;,9<0
2. -& 900a @ -0b @ c A:-,01< 900a @ -0b @ c
A:-,01<
:;0a @ 0 4 Dc A4
-09,9:<
eq4. 360a - 9c -
!04"43#
2. -& 900a @ -0b @ c A:-,01< 4-B9a@-b@cA-:,;9<C 4E00a 4 90b
4 -c A4;9,0:0
3. :& 1,;00a @ 90b @ c A::,=1< 1,;00a @ 90b
@ c A::,=1<
E00a @ 0 4 c A
4:0,:1<
eq#. $00a - c
-30"3%#
e69& :;0a 4 Dc A4-09,9:< :;0a 4 Dc A 4-09,9:<
e6<& E00a F c A:0,:1< 4DBE00a4cA:0,:1<C 4=-00a @Dc A -=-,E:<
4;E90a A ;E,900
;E,900G4;,E90A a
a-%0
e6<& E00B410C F c A4:0,:1<
4E000 4c A4:0,:1<
4cA4:0,:1< @ E000
4cA4--,:1< e61& 9B410C @ -b @ --,:1<
A -:,;9<
c!!"3%# -40 & !b & !!"3%#
!3"64#
&40 &!b -!!"3%# %3'0
b A 1,:=0G-
b 6$#
Part :8 H#ing your #olution# to the #y#tem from part - to form your 6uadratic
model of the data&
h A 410t?@;E<t@--,:1<
Part 98 Find the ma5imum value of the 6uadratic function& Ma!e #ure to
#ho your or!&
4;E<G4-0A :9&-< )econd#
410B:9&-<C ? @ ;E<B:9&-<C @ --,:1<
410B1,1=:&0;-<C @ -:,9;1 @ --,:1<
411=:0&;-< @-:,9;1 @ --,:1<
34"04#.6!# Altit(de in feet
Part <8 )!etch the parabola& Iabel the given data plu# the ma5imum point&
A good ay to #tart labeling your a5e# i# to have the loer left point be B0,
-0000C