Gradients of graphs in engineering
A collection of resources to provide ideas for setting gradients of graphs in the context of engineering.
'Pit Stop' involves students investigating the performance of model solar cars through a series of racing challenges. The work involves producing distance time graphs for different race tracks.
There are two supporting resources. 'Straight Line Graphs Mystery' contains twenty mystery fact cards relating to the features of straight line graphs and how they lie on a grid. The activity would be ideal for use prior to working on the 'Pit Stop' activity. 'Straight Line Graphs' demonstrates how to find points from an equation, plot those points and join them to make a linear graph.
Pit Stop
The Pit stop activities from Cre8ate maths are designed to motivate students to investigate the performance of model solar cars through a series of racing challenges.
Time trials are conducted for each test surface and the average speed is calculated then used to produce distance time graphs for different race tracks.
Modification of the basic car is the focus of Hill climb, where teams consider relevant factors which may enhance the performance of their vehicle.
Straight Line Graphs Mystery
This resource has twenty mystery fact cards, each containing a statement about the features of straight line graphs and how they lie on a 3 by 3 grid. Students to use the fact cards to discover the features of each graph - its gradient, its intercept, its graph and ultimately its equation - by discussing the possible options and working towards a solution of which straight line graph lies in each grid cell.
