| Using the TI-83
graphing calculator and CBR, the Ranger, students test their understanding
of graphs. A distance-time graph of a “walk” appears on the calculator
screen and students attempt to walk a match to the graph. In other
experiments, a velocity-time graph appears on the calculator screen and
students attempt to walk a velocity match to the graph. Data is collected
through the CBR and transmitted to the calculator. A connection of the
slope of a line to the rate of change is established graphically.
The data, lists of ordered pairs from the graph, are stored in the calculator
so that the numbers may be analyzed.
The stage is
set by considering the position of the Rover on Mars during the Mars Pathfinder
Mission in Summer 1997. When the Rover landed on Mars during the
Pathfinder Mission scientists had to have the ability to know where the
Rover was located with respect to the lander. The Rover acted like
a remote control toy car. In the activity depicted below, students utilize
the TI-CBR to simulate the path of the Rover as it journeyed across the
surface of Mars. This data collection and transmission technique
is similar to the Rover transmitting its location on Mars back to Earth.
Further consideration and experimentation was given to simulating the velocity
of the Rover on Mars. The stage could have been the positioning of
students walking down a hallway or the position of a car which has a Global
Positioning System, GPS. A GPS along with the stationary satellites
can give you your position on the earth!w
 Two
Note: For
capabilities of Rover, see the web page at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/mars/ask/about-rover/
The lines walked in this activity are for the person moving with the CBR.
Any “graphs” from Rover are constructed for this activity.
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