Education Technology


Seven Speedy Pieces

Activity Overview

In this activity, students will determine the coasting distance of a toy car if it is rolled down from different fixed distances down an inclined plane.

Before the Activity

  • Install the CBL/CBR Application on the students' graphing calculators using TI Connect™ or TI-GRAPH LINK™, TI Connectivity cable, and the unit-to-unit link cable
  • Connect the TI-73 to the CBL 2 and CBR 2
  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 117 - 127 from the attached PDF file for your class
  • During the Activity

    Distribute the pages to your class.

    Follow the Activity procedures:

  • Position the CBR at the bottom of the ramp to measure the distance the car coasts after leaving the ramp
  • Hold and release the car 0.5 m from the starting line on the top of the ramp and record the coast distance
  • Repeat for all seven cars
  • Repeat the activity releasing the cars 1 m and then 1.5 m from the starting line
  • Record the data and create a bar graph
  • Understand the relationship between the starting point and the distance traveled
  • Analyze the data and identify the car with the greatest coasting distance and relate it to the car design
  • After the Activity

    Students will fill in the Student Data Collection and Analysis Sheet and answer questions in it.

    Review student results:

  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary