Students will combine math and science skills to calculate the speed of a downhill racer. Students will use time and distance to calculate speed. Students will look at conditions that cause the speed of a course to change. Students will design a downhill ski course using the knowledge gathered from experiments presented in the Challenge. This Challenge has already been extended into science and language arts.
Students can extend it into reading by researching great downhill skiers.
Students can compare the 1998 ski results to those of the Lillehammer Olympic Games. Experiment with different surfaces to determine the fastest course. Observe the role of mathematics in sporting events. Measure angles and identify slopes. Use the Internet to locate the formula for calculating speed.