Parametric Equations Project (Launch Angle)
A 90mph fastball can leave a player’s bat at the speed of110mph. Suppose a
batter hits such as fast ball at a height of three feet above theground to dead
center field where the distance of the 12 foot high outfield fenceis 410 feet
from home plate. The “launch angle†is the vertical angle at whicha ball leaves
a player’s bat after being hit.
Assuming the only force acting on the ball is gravity (−????/?
?
), determine
whether the batter hit a home run if the launch angle is ??°. Roundall
calculations to three decimal places.
Submission: You will be graded on both your math and writingskills.
Therefore, all your written responses should be given in completesentences, and
all mathematical expressions should be well-defined and includeproper notation.
MS Word provides an equation feature under “Insert†which willallow you to
format the mathematical expressions.
Your submission must include the title of the project andunderneath it your name.
The project will have three sections that must be titled“Approachâ€, “Solutionâ€
and “Reflectionsâ€. The format and grading of these sections is asfollows.
Approach: (5 points)
Write two or three paragraphs describing your approach to solvingthis problem.
This should include the steps you will take as well as how you willdetermine
whether your solution is reasonable.
Solution: (30 points)
In this section, you will provide your mathematical solution to theproblem. Each
mathematical expression you provide as part of your solution mustbe described
or explained in writing. The manner in which your textbook presentssolutions to
word problems is a good model for this section. Be sure to providea sufficient
number of steps in detailing your solution. The textbook oftenskips step in order
to limit page count; you are not under such a restriction; so don’tskip steps. It
will count against you.
Reflections: (5 points)
Write a paragraph or two reflecting on this assignment. What didyou learn from
the assignment? Were there any calculations that were surprising toyou? What
changes might make the project more realistic?
