Section 1

Discover

 

Water slides come in all heights and lengths. These measurements will determine how fast you can go and how long your ride will be. In Try This 1 you will investigate slopes of water slides.

 

Try This 1

1. Calculate the slope of the green water slide in the first photo and the slope of the blue water slide in the other photo. Write your answer in fraction form .

2. Describe the similarities and differences between the two slopes.

3. Which slide do you think would be the fastest? What is the fastest slide's slope?

Share 1

 

Once you have completed the Try This 1 activities, discuss the following questions with a partner or with a group of people.

• What is the relationship between the value of the slope and the steepness of the slide?

• What do you notice about the steepness of the water slides when the rise and run of the slope are switched?

Place a summary of your discussion and responses to the questions in your course folder.