The Buffalo Bayou Bullet

Trisha Litong & Daniel Nadel

AP Cal BC
Sundrani

The Design

Basic Information
Houston, TX
Buffalo Bayou inspired
Plexiglas submarine
One direction
Designed with Calculus

Why the Buffalo Bayou?

Shows environmental aspect of the city
Iconic body of water that reaches from Downtown Houston past Eldridge
(you can even locate it in Katy)
Almost every Houstonian has come in contact with the Buffalo Bayou one
way or another

The Functions
Linear

Rational

Linear

Constant

Constant

Constant

Linear

Constant

Linear

Trig: Cosine

Quadratic

Constant

Type of Function
Type of Function
1. Constant
function

Function
f(x) = 0

f(x) = 0.1(x-75)2 +

function
{59.14 < x 92.95}

f(x) = 50.154

35.1)

function: cosine

{91.951 < x

3. Constant

209.63}

{50.077 < x
function
59.14}

f(x) = 0
6. Constant
{209.625 < x
function

Function

10. Constant

f(x) = 23

function

{430 < x 459.348}

f(x) =

7. Linear function
{284.625 < x

11. Rational

309.625}

function with a

8. Constant

f(x) = -62.43

hole

function

{309.56 < x 393}

500}

f(x) = 2.3(x 420)

f(x) = -0.222x +

9. Linear function
{392.855 < x 430}

12. Linear function

100(460)
(460)(455)

{459.3475 < x

113.22

{499.986 < x 510}

284.625}

The Functions

Type of Function

284.625)

f(x) = 75 cos(0.1x
5. Trigonometric

Function
f(x) = -2.5(x

25

f(x) = 2x 50

{25 < x 50.077}

Type of Function

4. Quadratic

{0 x 25}

2. Linear function

Function

The limit of a function as x approaches a number, a, exists.

() exists

point exists when a is plugged in for the x-value in the

function.
exists

The limit of the function is equal to the y-value of the point.

() =

CONTINUITY

Justifications
Algebraic
Numerical through table
Graphical

 = +

=
=0
= 2x 50
= 2x 50
=
= 25
= =
Lim @ (25, 0)

x-value

y-value

24.940

24.970

0
25.000

0
25.030

0.060

25.060

0.120

The left-hand limit of = 0 is equivalent to the right-hand limit of

= 2x 50. Therefore, the function is continuous.

Function 1 & 2

=
= 2x 50
= 50.154

x-value

y-value

50.057

= 50.154
= .
= 50.077
. =
2(50.077) 50 = 50.154
Lim @ (50.077, 50.154)

.+

50.114

50.067

(50.077, 50.154)

50.134
50.077

50.154
50.087

50.154

50.097

50.154

The left-hand limit of = 2x 50 is equivalent to the right-hand

limit of = 50.154. Therefore, the function is continuous.

Function 2 & 3

=
= 50.154
= 0.1(x 75)2 + 25

. = 0.1(x 75)2 + 25
. = . ( )2
. = ( )2
. = x 75
= .
= . or 59.140
Choose 59.140
. = 0.1((59.140)
75)2 + 25 = 50.15396
Lim @ (59.140, 50.154)

. =

.+

. ( )2 + 25

x-value

y-value

59.120

50.154

59.130

50.154
59.140

(59.140, 50.154)
(50.077, 50.154)
50.154

59.150

50.122

59.160

50.091

The left-hand limit of = 50.154 is equivalent to the right-hand

limit of = 0.1(x 75)2 + 25. Therefore, the function is
continuous.

Function 3 & 4

=
= 0.1(x 75)2 + 25
= 75cos(0.1x 35.1)
. ( ) + =
75cos (0.1x 35.1)
x = 91.953 or 96.516 Choose
91.953
f(91.953) = 0.1((91.953)
75)2 + 25 = 53.739
Lim @ (91.953, 53.739)

. ( )2 +25 =

.+

x-value

(. . )

y-value

91.933

53.673

91.943

53.707
91.953

53.739
91.963

53.793

91.973

53.845

The left-hand limit of = 0.1(x 75)2 + 25 is equivalent to the

right-hand limit of = 75cos(0.1x 35.1). Therefore, the function
is continuous.

Function 4 & 5

(. . ) =

.+

=
= 75cos(0.1x 35.1)
=0
(. . ) = 0
= . .

= . .

+35.1 = 0.1x

+.

=
.
= .
g(209.625) = 0
Lim @ (209.625, 0)

x-value

y-value

209.615

-0.100

209.620

-0.063
209.625

0
209.630

209.635

The left-hand limit of = 75cos(0.1x 35.1) is equivalent to the

right-hand limit of = 0. Therefore, the function is continuous.

Function 5 & 6

=
=0
= -2.5(x 284.625)
0 = -2.5(x 284.625)
0 = x 284.625
x = 284.625
f(284.625) = 0
Lim @ (284.625, 0)

.+

. ( . )

x-value

y-value

284.605

284.615

0
284.625

0
284.635

-0.025

284.645

-0.050

The left-hand limit of = 0 is equivalent to the right-hand limit of

= 2.5(x 284.625). Therefore, the function is continuous.

Function 6 & 7

=
= -2.5(x 284.625)
= -62.43
-2.5(x 284.625) = -62.43
x 284.625 = 24.972
x = 309.597
g(309.597) = -62.430
Lim @ (309.597, -62.430)

. ( . ) =

.+

x-value

y-value

309.591

-62.415

309.594

-62.422
309.597

-62.430

309.600

-62.430

309.603

-62.430

The left-hand limit of = -2.5(x 284.625) is equivalent to the

right-hand limit of = 62.43. Therefore, the function is
continuous.

Function 7 & 8

=
= -62.43
= 2.3(x 420)
-62.43 = 2.3(x 420)
-62.43 = 2.3x 966
2.3x = 903.57
x = 392.857
f(392.857) = -62.430
Lim @ (392.857, -62.430)

. =

.+

x-value

. ( )

y-value

392.657

-62.430

392.757

-62.430
392.857

-62.430
392.957

-62.199

393.057

-61.969

The left-hand limit of = -62.43 is equivalent to the right-hand

limit of = 2.3(x 420). Therefore, the function is continuous.

Function 8 & 9

 . ( ) = +

=
= 2.3(x 420)
= 23
2.3(x 420) = 23
2.3x 966 = 23
2.3x = 989
x = 430
g(430) = 23
Lim @ (430, 23)

x-value

y-value

429.000

22.700

429.500

22.850
430.000

(430, 23)

23.000
430.500

23.000

431.000

23.000

The left-hand limit of = 2.3(x 420) is equivalent to the righthand limit of = 23. Therefore, the function is continuous.

Function 9 & 10

=
= 23

()
.+ ()()

()

= ()()
()

x-value

23 = ()()
23(x 460)(x 455) = 100(x 460)
23(x2 915x + 209,300) = 100x
46,000
2
23x 21,045x + 4,813,900 = 100x
46,000
23x2 21,145x + 4,859,900 = 0
x=
, (,)()(,,)
()

y-value

459.148

23.000

459.248

23.000
459.348

x = either 459.348 or 460

Choose 459.348
f(459.348) = 23
Lim @ (459.348, 23)

(459.348, 23.000)
(430, 23)

23.000
459.448

22.482

459.548

21.988

The left-hand limit of = 23 is equivalent to the right-hand limit of

=

100(460)
.
460 (455)

Therefore, the function is continuous.

Function 10 & 11

 =
=

()
()()

100(460)
. 460 (455)

.+

. + .

= . + .
()
= -0.222x + 113.22
()()

= -0.222x + 113.22

= ( )(. +
. )

. + . . =

x=
. (.)(.)(.)
(.)

x = either 465.013 or 499.987

Choose 499.987
g(499.987) = -0.222(499.987) +113.22
= 2.223
Lim @ (499.987, 2.223)

x-value

y-value

499.787

2.233

499.887

2.228
499.987

2.223
500.087

2.201

500.187

2.179

The left-hand limit of =

100(460)
460 (455)

is equivalent to the right-hand

limit of = 0.222x + 113.22. Therefore, the function is continuous.

Function 11 & 12

Thank You For Your Time