| Discussion: | Traffic Jam Applet tool |
| Topic: | "Graphing Calculator" Software |
| Related Item: | http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/10/ |
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| Subject: | Optimization Problems |
| Author: | Gene |
| Date: | Nov 6 2003 |
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classic problems. In class I went over the longest ladder you can carry around a
corner and was very pleased with the Longest Ladder applet,
http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool.html?&new_id=1402. I set it up so the
dimensions matched those of the example in our book and then tried ladders a bit
too short and too long. It seemed to motivate folks.
I've assigned problems corresponding to the following as well, and will give
students these references:
The fastest route through the desert and along the road to a town
http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool.html?&new_id=1403
The Shortest Ladder over a Fence
http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool.html?&new_id=1404
Area of a Rectangle Inscribed in a Semicircle
http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool.html?&new_id=1401
All these are applets from Larry Husch and Marek Szapiel's Visual Calculus
Project. They seem to add a visceral dimension to the problems, and make them
more interesting to the students. I'm not sure whether they add much to student
understanding, but motivation should be enough—this is a notoriously hard part
for many students.
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