Education Technology


Calculus: Position, Distance, Velocity

by Texas Instruments

Objectives

  • Work with linked graphical and physical representations of the horizontal motion of an object

About the Lesson

These TI-Nspire documents are based on the context of the rectilinear (straight line) motion of an object. One key distinction that is particularly difficult for students is between position and distance traveled. These documents help to make that distinction.

The Position_Distance_Velocity TI-Nspire documents allow the user to provide a position function to "drive" the rectilinear (straight line) horizontal motion of an object. The documents produce a corresponding velocity function by differentiating the given position function. A “trail” of the path of the object is left so that users can distinguish between the current location of the object and the actual distance it has traveled. The position function drives the motion of the object as the user advances the value of time t via a slider.