Math035: Inductive and Deductive

Reasoning Group Activity

Submitted by Group #1
July 30, 2018
Inclined Plane Experiments
Galileo (1564 – 1642) wanted to determine how
the speed of a falling object changes as it
falls. He conducted many free-fall
experiments, but he found the motion of a
falling object difficult to analyze. Eventually,
he came up with the idea that it would be
easier to perform experiments with a ball that
rolls down a gentle incline, because the speed
of the ball would be slower than the speed of
a falling object. One objective of Galileo’s
inclined plane experiments was to determine
how the speed of a ball rolling down an
inclined plane changes as it rolls.
Table of data
Distance d in centimeters (cm), a ball
Elapsed time in rolls in t in seconds
Inclined plane 1 Inclined Plane 2
0 0 0.0
1 8 6.5
2 32 26.0
3 72 58.5
4 128 104.0
5 200 162.5
Part 1
1.Determine the distance a ball rolls, on
inclined plane 1, during each of the following
time intervals
Required: Find delta d in the time intervals.

Solution: Subtract the distance between one

time interval and another.
For example:
D0th second = 0 cm
D1th second = 8 cm
∆d = d1th second - d0th second
d1th second - d0th second = (8 cm) – (0 cm)
= 8 cm

We’ll do the same for the other values

d2nd second - d1st second = 32 cm – 8 cm = 24 cm
d1th second - d0th second = 72 cm – 32 cm = 40 cm
d1th second - d0th second = 128 cm – 72 cm = 56 cm
d1th second - d0th second = 200 cm – 128 cm = 72 cm
 Distance d in centimeters
(cm), a ball rolls in t in
Elapsed time in seconds
Inclined Plane 2
0 0.0
1 6.5
2 26.0
3 58.5
4 104.0
5 162.5

We’ll repeat the same process for the data in the Inclined Plane 2
experiment
d1st second - d0st second = 6.5 cm – 0 cm = 6.5 cm
d2nd second - d1st second = 26.0 cm – 6.5 cm = 19.5 cm
d3rd second - d2nd second = 58.5 cm – 26.0 cm = 32.5 cm
d4th second - d5th second = 104.0 cm – 58.5 cm = 45.5 cm
d6th second - d7th second = 162.5 cm – 104.5 cm = 58 cm
Task 3
For inclined plane 1, treat every 8 cm as 1 unit
Now, determine the distance between time intervals this
time using units instead of cm. To do this, just divide the
resulting difference by 8 cm/unit.
d1st second - d0th second = 8 cm – 0 = 8 cm =1 unit
d2nd second - d1st second = 32 cm – 8 cm = 24 cm = 3 units
d3rd second - d2nd second = 72 cm – 32 cm = 40 cm = 5 units
d4th second - d3rd second = 128 cm – 72 cm = 56 cm = 7 units
d5th second - d6th second = 200 cm – 128 cm = 72 cm = 8 units
Task 4
For task 4, in inclined plane 2, treat every 6.5 cm as 1 unit.
Now find the difference in distance between every interval expressed
in units. To do this, just divide the resulting difference by 6.5 cm/unit

d1st second - d0st second = 6.5 cm – 0 cm = 6.5 cm = 1 unit

d2nd second - d1st second = 26.0 cm – 6.5 cm = 19.5 cm = 3 units

d3rd second - d2nd second = 58.5 cm – 26.0 cm = 32.5 cm = 5 units

d4th second - d5th second = 104.0 cm – 58.5 cm = 45.5 cm = 7 units

d6th second - d7th second = 162.5 cm – 104.5 cm = 58 cm = 8 units

Part 2
Using inductive reasoning and the results
obtained from part 1, what conjecture was
Galileo able to form?
 The speed of the ball as it rolls down the plane is increasing as time increase.
Arguments
 The distance between time intervals is denoted by units. In inclined
plane 1, 1 unit is 8 cm. The distance between t=1 and t=0 is 1
unit.
 The distance between t=2 and t=1 is 3 units.
 The distance between t=3 and t=2 is 5 units.
 The distance between t=4 and t=3 is 7 units
 The distance between t=5 and t=4 is 9 units
 The speed is changing because if the speed were to remain
constant, the difference in units, between two time intervals,
would remain constant.
 The difference between two time intervals, in units, is increasing as
the time increases.
 The only thing constant is the difference between two time
intervals differences which is 2 units. Which means the differences
between two time intervals increase by 2 units with every interval.
Final Conclusion
 Since speed is the determinant of how
much distance is traversed in a span of
time, and that the difference in distance
between intervals is always changing,
therefore the speed of the ball is increasing
over time.
Part 3 A.
If the time the ball is allowed to roll on an
inclined plane is doubled, what effect does
this have on the distance the ball rolls
measure from the initial position
t d 2t d
1 second 1 unit 2 seconds 4 units
2 seconds 4 units 4 seconds 16 units
3 seconds 9 units 6 units 36 units
4 seconds 16 units 8 seconds 64 units
5 seconds 25 units 10 seconds 100 units
Answer
 The effect is that the value of d is quadrupled
if the value of t is doubled.
 If t is 3, then d is 9. If we double t, then d will
be quadrupled. So, if t is 6, then d would be
multiplied by four. 9 x 4 is 36 units.
 Now, we turn 36 units into cm by multiplying
it by 8 cm/unit.
 36 units x 8 cm/unit is now 288.
Part 3 B.
 How far will a ball roll on inclined plane 1 in 6 second?
Answer: it will roll a total of 288 cm
Solution: First we express the values in units. Wherein 1 unit
is 8 cm.
Distance d in Distance d in
centimeters units, a ball
(cm), a ball Elapsed time rolls in t in
Elapsed time rolls in t in seconds
in
in seconds Inclined plane
Inclined plane 1
1 0 0
0 0
1 1
1 8
2 4
2 32
3 9
3 72
4 16
4 128
5 25
Continuation of solution
 We know from the previous answer to a
previous question that if double the value of
t, the value of d is quadrupled
 So, if t is 3, d is 9. Therefore, if t is 6, d will b
36 units.
 We convert 36 units to cm by multiplying by 8
cm/units.
 36 units x 8 cm/units is 288 cm.
Alternate solution #1
 When t is 1, d is 1. When t is 2, d is 4. When t
is 3, d becomes 9.
 We see that the value of d is just the value of t
squared multiplied by the initial distance
traveled (in this case, it would be the distance
between t = 1 and t=0 which is 8 cm).
 Therefore, we can use this model d(t) = (initial
distance traversed)(value of t squared)
 If t = 6, d(6) = (8 cm)(6^2) = 288 cm