Name:_______________________

Date assigned:______________ Calculus | Packer Collegiate Institute Many. Things. Change. Home Enjoyment

Band:________

A rocket is taking off from earth, and a camera placed 2000 meters away is designed to digitally record the rocket launch by closely watching the rocket to give NASA a visual account of everything that happens (in case something goes wrong). Before launch, the rocket looks like the first picture, and then it goes up (and the camera angles upward) and things look like the second and third pictures.

The rocket starts out at a height of 0m, but moves upwards according to this equation: h(t ) 50t 2 At t 2 : (a) How high is the rocket?

(b) How far is the camera from the rocket?

(c) What angle does the camera make from the ground? Lets make a table of values
Height (m) Distance to camera (m) Angle to ground (degrees)

t 0 t 3
t 6 t 9

t 12 t 15

When graphed, what do you think the graph for the height, distance to camera, and angle will look like? Height: Distance to camera: Angle to ground: Now graph them!

The height is _________________________________

The Distance is _______________________________

The Angle is _________________________________

Now weve got a general idea of whats going on Lets calculate three specific things Lets figure out how things are changing at a particular moment in time (this is calculus, after all) Approximate the instantaneous rate of change of the height of the rocket at t 4 seconds?

t 4

Height: Height:

t 4.001

Approximate the instantaneous rate of change of the distance of the rocket to the camera at t 4 seconds?

t 4 t 4.001

Distance: Distance:

Approximate the instantaneous rate of change of the angle to the camera at t 4 seconds?

t 4 t 4.001

Angle: Angle:

Now well do it for another moment in time! Approximate the instantaneous rate of change of the height of the rocket at t 10 seconds?

t 10 t 10.001

Height: Height:

Approximate the instantaneous rate of change of the distance of the rocket to the camera at t 10 seconds?

t 10
t 10.001

Distance: Distance:

Approximate the instantaneous rate of change of the angle to the camera at t 10 seconds?

t 10
t 10.001

Angle: Angle:

*** As time progresses, it appears that the IRoC of the height is GOING UP / GOING DOWN As time progresses, it appears that the IRoC of the distance to the camera is GOING UP / GOING DOWN As time progresses, it appears that the IRoC of the angle is GOING UP / GOING DOWN Please note these questions are not asking if the height, distance, or angle are going up or down.