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Why might it be that so many natural and built structures are parabolic?
Part 1: The Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA is a suspension bridge spanning the channel between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The diagram shows the central section of the bridge. The suspension cable is a parabola.
Research the heights of the towers and the length of the central section.
Trace the parabola. Darw a pair of coordinate axes, with the y axis as the axis of symmetry of the parabola.
Use the dimensions you found from step 1 to determine a suitable scale for the x and y axes.
Using your scale, find the coordinate of the vertex, and the x- and y-intercepts.
Using your quadratic function and another point on the curve, find the parameter a.
Compare your model with others. Discuss any similarities and differences.
Part 2: Other Structures
Trace each parabola. Draw coordinate axes and decide on a suitable scale. Find a quadratic function to model the parabola.
Part 3: Take Photos!
Take photos of parabolic objects you encounter in your everyday life. Use technology to find the quadratic function that defines your object, or use tracing paper over the photo.
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