In this resource you will interpret situations in terms of graphs or create situations to fit a graph.

Using an applet called Animation of a Biker, you can create graphs to match situations.

The concepts that can be investigated with Animation of Biker applet are distance, velocity, and acceleration.

Directions:  

1. Click to open the applet in a new window.
   Note: The application will open in a new popup window so that you can toggle between the application and the directions.
2. Make sure “Trace Multiple Runs” box is checked beneath the graph.
3. Click on the “Start Animation” button in the lower left hand corner.
4. Change the path, by clicking and dragging each of the points B, C, D, and E, (Points A and F are the endpoints).
5. The graph on the right will display the relationship between the speed and position based on the incline the biker is traveling.
6. The “Reset Animation” button moves the biker back to the beginning. The “Reset Ramp” moves the ramp back to the original position.
7. Change the ramps several times while noticing the relationship between the speed and the ramp.

Describe in words what is happening in each graph below. Check your responses by clicking on the image.

A.

Interactive button. Assistance may be required. The biker started decreasing his speed while going up an incline, then leveled off for about 10 units, decreased his speed going up a ramp again followed by a maintained speed for about 5 units before down the ramp while his speed increased.

B. 

Interactive button. Assistance may be required. The biker started decreasing his speed while going up an incline, but then quickly sped up while going down an incline, then he gradually went up, the incline got steeper so his speed slowed down a little more and then finally a slow decent, speeding up slowly as he reached the end.

Once you know how to use the MovingMan applet and have experimented with it, examine the above two graphs and try to recreate the graphs using the MovingMan applet.

Record the following responses in your notes.

Questions:

1. When the line is horizontal, what is happening?
2. When the line is decreasing what is happening?
3. When the line is increasing what is happening?
4. How is this activity linked to creating graphs to fit situations?