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Roller Coasters Need Calculus Too!, Christina Marshall
Roller Coasters Need Calculus Too!, Christina Marshall
Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two
Using the specifications of the given launch roller coaster, we were able to determine the position vector of the roller coaster as a function of time. After determining the position function, we took the derivative of this function to calculate the velocity of the coaster as a function of time. From this calculated velocity vector, we were able to determine the time required for the coaster to reach its maximum height. We substitute this time value back into the position function to determine the maximum height the launch roller coaster can obtain.
Going Ballistic: Bullet Trajectories, Amanda Wade
Going Ballistic: Bullet Trajectories, Amanda Wade
Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two
This project seeks to answer at what angle does a gun marksman have to aim in order to hit the center of a target one meter off the ground and 1000 meters away? We begin by modeling the bullet's trajectory using Euler's method with the help of a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet solver, and then systematically search for the angle corresponding to the center of the target. It was found that a marksman shooting a target 1000 meters away and 1 meter off the ground has to aim the rifle 0.436° above horizontal to hit the center.