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Roller Coaster Crew: Part A

Ray and Kelsey are interns assisting with the design of a new roller coaster. They are working on graphing polynomial functions to represent curves in the coaster's track. The document provides questions for students to answer to help Ray and Kelsey with various parts of designing the coaster track, including graphing polynomial functions, describing their features, combining the functions into a coaster design, and creating an advertisement for the new coaster.

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Elwin Grace Pillarda
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131 views

Roller Coaster Crew: Part A

Ray and Kelsey are interns assisting with the design of a new roller coaster. They are working on graphing polynomial functions to represent curves in the coaster's track. The document provides questions for students to answer to help Ray and Kelsey with various parts of designing the coaster track, including graphing polynomial functions, describing their features, combining the functions into a coaster design, and creating an advertisement for the new coaster.

Uploaded by

Elwin Grace Pillarda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Roller Coaster Crew

Ray and Kelsey have summer internships at an engineering firm. As part of their internship, they get
to assist in the planning of a brand new roller coaster. For this assignment, you help Ray and Kelsey
as they tackle the math behind some simple curves in the coaster's track.
Part A
The first part of Ray and Kelsey's roller coaster is a curved pattern that can be represented by a
polynomial function.

1. Ray and Kelsey are working to graph a third-degree polynomial function that represents the
first pattern in the coaster plan. Ray says the third-degree polynomial has four intercepts.
Kelsey argues the function can have as many as three zeros only. Is there a way for the both
of them to be correct? Explain your answer.

2. Kelsey has a list of possible functions. Pick one of the g(x) functions below and then
describe to Kelsey the key features of g(x), including the end behavior, y-intercept, and
zeros.
o g(x) = (x + 2)(x − 1)(x − 2)
o g(x) = (x + 3)(x + 2)(x − 3)
o g(x) = (x + 2)(x − 2)(x − 3)
o g(x) = (x + 5)(x + 2)(x − 5)
o g(x) = (x + 7)(x + 1)(x − 1)

3. Create a graph of the polynomial function you selected from Question 2.

Part B
The second part of the new coaster is a parabola.

4. Ray needs help creating the second part of the coaster. Create a unique parabola in the
pattern f(x) = (x − a)(x − b). Describe the direction of the parabola and determine the y-
intercept and zeros.

5. Create a graph of the polynomial function you created in Question 4.

Part C

6. Now that the curve pieces are determined, use those pieces as sections of a complete
coaster. By hand or by using a drawing program, sketch a design of Ray and Kelsey's
coaster that includes the shape of the g(x) and f(x) functions that you chose in the Parts A
and B. You do not have to include the coordinate plane. You may arrange the functions in
any order you choose, but label each section of the graph with the corresponding function for
your instructor to view.

Part D
7. Create an ad campaign to promote Ray and Kelsey's roller coaster. It can be a 15-second
advertisement for television or radio, an interview for a magazine or news report, or a song,
poem, or slideshow presentation for a company. These are just examples; you are not
limited to how you prepare your advertisement, so be creative. Make sure to include a script
of what each of you will say if you are preparing an interview or a report. The purpose of this
ad is to get everyone excited about the roller coaster.

Graphing Polynomial Functions—Option 1 Rubric


Requirements

Student answers Questions 1 and 2 correctly and completely, with work shown.

Student submits a complete and accurate graph of the polynomial in Question 2.

Student answers Question 4 correctly and completely, with work shown.

Student submits a complete and accurate graph of the polynomial in Question 5.

Student provides a sketch of his or her design that includes the polynomials.

Student submits an original campaign ad or promotion of some sort.

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