Re: out-of-the-box thinking

[Herb Schulz <herbs@WIDEOPENWEST.COM>]

On 6/4/03 7:04 PM, "John Clement" <clement@HAL-PC.ORG> wrote:

> On the other hand the value of the acceleration is positive assuming +
> is to the right.  When you ask if the answer is different for the value
> of the acceleration if you assume a different direction of motion, many
> students will say yes!!!!!
>
> John M. Clement
> Houston, TX

Howdy,

Psst... The machine always SPRAYS THE Paint for the same length of time.

Since each of the lines is the same length the machine must be moving at a
constant velocity DURING THE SPRAYING. It may either be speeding up
(assuming it's moving left to right in the figure) and then slowing down
between the sprays (so that the speed when the paint sprays is the same) and
the acceleration and deceleration must be getting larger in magnitude - or -
the time BETWEEN sprays could be getting larger - or - some combination of
these two things.

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs@wideopenwest.com)