Discuss 1: Trajectory

Reflect and Discuss 1

The photograph shows the trajectory of a basketball. The trajectory is a curve, called a parabola. 

If you knew just one of the ball's positions in the air, could you tell whether or not the ball would go in the basket? What if you knew two of its positions, or three?

How many positions do you think you would need to know to be sure that the ball would go in the basket? Make a good guess.