Functions

The roller coaster braking functions activity is designed around a ramped track with paper braking tabs attached to the sides in various sizes and locations. To run the roller coaster, the students had to release a toy car at a certain point on the ramp and measure the distance that it traveled on the table before it stopped.
This activity was divided into three main parts. During the first, the students tested pre-designed tracks that gave them all similar results. They made predictions before they started about how each track would stop the car and then recorded the data on their data sheet as they tested. During the second part of the lesson, the students used Microsoft Excel to analyze their data. They created graphs, added trend lines, and allowed the computer to generate best fit equations. In the third part of the activity, each group was given a budget from which they could buy supplies and build their own track. The object was to build a track that would stop the car in the most efficient manner (least dollars per inch).