Additional Mathematics Project Work 2012

QUESTION 1

TITLE: A SUSPENSION BRIDGE

Curved suspender cable
Vertical suspender cable

50m

600m

Diagram 1: Suspension bridge

PART 1
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (the load-bearing portion) is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. A suspension bridge dates from the early 19th century. This type of bridge has cables suspended between towers, plus vertical suspender cables that carry the weight of the deck below. Briefly discuss one suspension bridge that can be found in our country.

Clifton Suspension Bridge (1864)

PART II
The diagram above shows a suspension bridge with a concrete pillar, curved suspender cable and vertical suspender cable. The length between the two concrete pillars is 600 metres and the shortest distance between the curved suspender cable and the deck is 5 metres.

(a) State at least two different functions to represent the curved suspender cables which are parabolic. b) The distance between the two vertical suspender cables is d metre. Find the number of vertical suspender cables is used on both sides of the bridge as shown in the table below.

KEDAH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

pg. 1

Additional Mathematics Project Work 2012

Distance between the two vertical suspender cables (d metre)
10 15 20 25 30

Number of vertical suspender cables

PART III
Distance between the two vertical suspender cables (d metre) 10 15 20 25 30 Types of cables A B C D E Cost per meter RM 500 RM 750 RM 1000 RM 1200 RM 1500

(c) The table above shows the cost of five types of cables that can be used as vertical suspender cables to construct the bridge (i) Determine the minimum cost of the vertical suspender cable. (ii) Calculate the minimum total cost to construct the bridge if the cost of each curved suspender cable is RM1.1 million.

(d) The government has allocated RM4 million for the cables in the construction of the bridge. A slanting suspender cable is to be added at each concrete pillar to strengthen the bridge. By using type of cable that you have chosen in (c)(i), calculate the maximum length of each slanting suspender cable.

FURTHER EXPLORATION (e) Using your group creativity (4 5 persons in a group), construct a model (example: 3D drawing) of a future suspension bridge. Present your group work.

KEDAH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

pg. 2