5/13/2014

Unit 4 Project
Math Extended
Alexander Bunn
NORTHBRIGDE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL CAMBODIA

1 Alexander Bunn
8px
23px
9px
23px


According to the task sheet, the average height of a Mexican man is 167cm; using this fact, a scale can
be created from my gridded version of the picture.
I selected these boxes due to the fact the diver is roughly along the internal diagonal of the rectangle
from corner to corner. Therefore by comparing the length of this diagonal to the average height of a
Mexican (167cm) (the nationality of the divers) a scale for the picture can be made.



Width x Height: 23 x 9 pixels

Using Pythagoreans Theorem: 23
2
+ 9
2
=
24.70

Therefore: 24.70px = 167cm

Find for 1px:
167
24.70
= 6.76

Therefore: 1px = 6.76 cm

Therefore the scale to meters is: 1: 0.0676
Width x Height: 23 x 8 pixels

Using Pythagoreans Theorem: 23
2
+ 8
2
=
24.35

Therefore: 24.35px = 167cm

Find for 1px:
167
24.35
= 6.86

Therefore: 1px = 6.86 cm

Therefore the scale to meters is: 1: 0.0686
PART 1 Creating a scale
Back Flip Dive:
180 Flip Dive:

2 Alexander Bunn


Now, to be able to graph the path of the diver, the image should be gridded with x and y axis like so;
180 Flip
Back Flip

The pictures above are the same as the pictures provided but formatted with a slightly lower resolution
making them easier to work with. After I lowered the resolution of the pictures I added a pixel grid onto
the images. Gridding using this technique is much for effective because it allows the pictures to be
PART 2 Finding Coordinates

3 Alexander Bunn
gridded at an extremely accurate level. In the picture it can be seen that points on the divers waist line
are marked for each phase of the dive. I chose to plot the waistline because it is the center of the body
and will give the most accurate position of the diver if he rotates.
The plotted points are as follows;
180 Flip Back Flip*
x y x y
0 222 0 234
8 220 17 229
18 214 25 224
27 206 34 216
37 193 44 204
47 174 53 187
56 153 61 166
64 128 69 144
73 100 75 120
81 71 82 93
90 36 89 65
97 0 98 34

106 0

*(the first point was removed because the diver leaves the cliff face on the second point)
Using Microsoft Excel I plotted these points on a digitally generated graph to display the points more
clearly.

4 Alexander Bunn



Now I must convert my coordinates from pixels (px) to meters (m)
180 Flip Back Flip*
x y x y
0 222 0 234
8 220 17 229
18 214 25 224
27 206 34 216
37 193 44 204
47 174 53 187
56 153 61 166
64 128 69 144
73 100 75 120
81 71 82 93
90 36 89 65
97 0 98 34

106 0

- Multiply all coordinate values by the ratio from the corresponding scale (0.0676 and 0.0686) -
Using the list method on my GDC I calculated these lists:
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
0 50 100 150
H
E
I
G
H
T

O
F

C
L
I
F
F

(
P
I
X
E
L
S
)

-

Y

A
X
I
S

DISTANCE FROM THE CLIFF (PIXELS) - X AXIS
180 Flip
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
0 50 100 150
H
E
I
G
H
T

O
F

C
L
I
F
F

(
P
I
X
E
L
S
)

-

Y

A
X
I
S

DISTANCE FROM THE CLIFF (PIXELS) - X AXIS
Back Flip
PART 3 Preparing the data

5 Alexander Bunn
For the 180 Flip:



6 Alexander Bunn
For the Back Flip:





All of this data has been rounded to two decimal places as clearly shown in this table:
180 Flip Back Flip
x y x y
0.00 15.01 0.00 16.05
0.54 14.87 1.17 15.71
1.22 14.47 1.72 15.37
1.83 13.93 2.33 14.82
2.50 13.05 3.02 13.99
3.18 11.76 3.64 12.83
3.79 10.34 4.18 11.39
4.33 8.65 4.73 9.88
4.93 6.76 5.15 8.23
5.48 4.80 5.63 6.38
6.08 2.43 6.11 4.46
6.56 0.00 6.72 2.33

7.27 0.00



7 Alexander Bunn


Using the QuadReg function on my GDC and the data from lists 3 and 4 I was able to find the values
for the following variables:

For the 180 Flip:

Therefore the equation rounded to two decimal places would be: = 0.37
2
+0.17 +14.91
For the Back Flip:

Therefore the equation rounded to two decimal places would be: = 0.36
2
+0.36 +15.96

PART 4 Finding the equation

8 Alexander Bunn


1. It is possible to find the height that the diver in each picture jumped from by using the equation
that I found in the last section. The path that the diver made as he jumped into the water
resembles a negative parabolic curve (half of a negative parabola). The highest point of a
negative parabola is its vertex. In this case the vertex must be the point that the diver left the
cliff. In this situation the value of y represents height; therefore the y value of the vertex must
be the height of where the diver jumped off the cliff.

To find the height of the cliff, I must find the y value of the vertex as follows:
For the 180 Flip:
Using: = 0.37
2
+0.17 +14.91
Formula to find the x value of the vertex: =

2

Substituting the variables: =
0.36
20.37

Then solve: = 0.49

Then to find the y value just insert the x value of the vertex into the equation, like so:
= 0.370.49
2
+0.170.49 +14.91
Simplify:
= 0.088837 +0.0833 +14.91
Solve:

= 14.904463
Therefore the place that the diver jumped from on the cliff (when rounded to two
decimal places) is 14.90 m high.

PART 5 Finding the vertex

9 Alexander Bunn
For the Back Flip:
Using: = 0.36
2
+0.36 +15.96
Formula to find the x value of the vertex: =

2

Substituting the variables: =
0.36
20.36

Then solve: = 0.5

Then to find the y value just insert the x value of the vertex into the equation, like so:
= 0.360.5
2
+0.360.5 +15.96
Simplify:
= 0.09 +0.18 +15.96
Solve:

= 16.05
Therefore the place that the diver jumped from on the cliff (when rounded to two
decimal places) is 16.05 m high.




2. If I was to solve the quadratic equations when y is equal to 0, it would give me the value of x
when y is equal to 0 or otherwise known as an x-intercept. Each of the equations would give me
two x intercepts. This is a common possibility for parabolas. My graph only shows half of the
parabola, making only a parabolic curve with one x intercept. However, by solving the x
intercept of the parabolic curve, you can find how far away from the cliff the diver landed in the
water. Some people may want to know this due to safety reasons or other mathematical
applications as it is a significant measurement. Also the diver that is diving must calculate this
distance so that he knows where he is going to land. This makes it easier for the diver to time it
with the moment that the gorge fills with water, to prevent injury.

PART 6 Finding the x-intercepts

10 Alexander Bunn
3. Using the GDC I can use the trace function to solve the quadratic equations of each parabola, as
shown below:

180 Flip Back Flip







11 Alexander Bunn


4. As stated on the title sheet of the project; The acceleration due to gravity is equal to 9.8

2
. It is also stated in the project that the equation =
1
2

2
can be used to find how long it
takes the divers to make their jumps.

For 180 Flip:
As discovered earlier, the height of the ledge this diver jumped from is 14.90m high.
Also the diver accelerates at 9.8
2
due to gravity.
Therefore the formula =
1
2

2
can be used to find how long it takes the diver to fall
from the cliff face into the water.
= = 14.90
= = 9.8
2

=
Insert all values into the equation and find
14.90 =
1
2
9.8
2
*2
29.8 = 9.8
2
/9.8
29.8
9.8
=
2

29.8
9.8
=


The time it takes for this diver to complete his dive is 1.74 secons.

PART 7 Calculating time

12 Alexander Bunn
For Back Flip:
As discovered earlier, the height of the ledge this diver jumped from is 16.05m high.
Also the diver accelerates at 9.8
2
due to gravity.
Therefore the formula =
1
2

2
can be used to find how long it takes the diver to fall
from the cliff face into the water.
= = 16.05
= = 9.8
2

=
Insert all values into the equation and find
16.05 =
1
2
9.8
2
*2
32.1 = 9.8
2
/9.8
32.1
9.8
=
2

32.1
9.8
=

The time it takes for this diver to complete his dive is 1.81 secons.


13 Alexander Bunn

5. While applying the same information as before, it is possible to use the equation
2
= 2 to
calculate the velocity/speed of the diver throughout his dive. Now I will find the speed at which
the divers hit the water at the end of their dive.

For 180 Flip:
As discovered earlier, the height of the ledge this diver jumped from is 14.90m high.
Also the diver accelerates at 9.8
2
due to gravity.
Therefore the formula
2
= 2 can be used to find the speed at which the diver hits the
water.
= = 14.90
= = 9.8
2

=
Insert all values into the equation and find

2
= 29.814.90 Simplify

2
= 292.04
= 292.04

The speed/velocity at which the diver hits the water at is 17.01 ms.

PART 8 Calculating speed

14 Alexander Bunn
For Back Flip:
As discovered earlier, the height of the ledge this diver jumped from is 16.05m high.
Also the diver accelerates at 9.8
2
due to gravity.
Therefore the formula
2
= 2 can be used to find the speed at which the diver hits the
water.
= = 16.05
= = 9.8
2

=
Insert all values into the equation and find

2
= 29.816.05 Simplify

2
= 314.58
= 314.58

The speed/velocity at which the diver hits the water at is 17.74 .


15 Alexander Bunn


According to the information given on the first page of the task, divers at La Quebrada jump from cliffs
as high as 35 meters, whereas the height of the dives I calculated where 14.90m and 16.05m. I believe
that the information provided with the task is likely to be correct as it does not state that every diver
jumps from 35 meters, but it states that divers jump from up to 35 meters. I believe the information I
gathered is moderately accurate as I have tried my best to keep the data and calculations precise,
although it is very possible that I made errors in my work as it has not been proofed by any one other at
this moment in time. But it is likely that some small uncontrolled variables have had effect on the
separate pieces of collected data.

There are some factors that I noticed would have an effect on the data I collected. Firstly the angle of
the photographs that I based my conclusions from may not have been perpendicular to the diver,
secondly according to my research different divers jump from different heights on the cliff, meaning
that data on different dives could be inconsistent, thirdly the height of the cliff could have changed since
the time the photos were taken and the time that the 35 meter height was recorded, and finally
according to my research the water inside La Quebrada flows in and out, and the height of the water
level in the photo may actually be different than actual sea level. All of these factors along with
potential calculation or measurement mistakes on my behalf have a possibility to change data
collected from the gulch.

In this report I have investigated the height of the cliff, the time it took for the divers to make their way
to the waters surface and the speed at which they hit the water. I believe that this information can be
used to help develop safety equipment in all types of vehicles (water, air and land) as the acceleration of
falling objects is quite traumatizing and can be fatal if the correct precautions are not followed.

I have noticed that the research I have conducted of cliff diving in La Quebrada has some real-life
importance as the information I collected from these Acapulco divers can contribute to the
understanding of gravitys effect on acceleration, the effect of gravity on a human free falling from a cliff
face, water entry dynamics and movement through fluid at high speeds (both air and water). I believe
that the information this research provides can contribute to new technology potentially in the space
industry, aqua industry and aero industry. I personally believe that a lesson can be learnt from
everything and be applied to things you would never imagine. Without research of simple occurrences in
day to day life many inventions like Velcro, steam engines and even airplanes would not exist.

PART 9 Reflection