Question

Calculate the average distances the car and the washer traveled from the top of the track. Record the averages and your qualitative observations in Table B of your Student Guide. Record what happened to the washer after the car hit the textbook. Explain whether the washer did the same thing every time.

What is the average distance the car traveled?

cm

What is the average distance the washer traveled?

cm

Answer 1

I don’t have your measured distances, so I can’t give the actual averages. I can tell you exactly how to get them and I can compute them for you if you paste your trial numbers.

How to calculate each average
- Add the distances for all trials for the car, then divide by the number of trials:
average(car) = (sum of car distances) / (number of trials).
- Do the same for the washer:
average(washer) = (sum of washer distances) / (number of trials).

Example
- If your car distances (cm) were 42, 45, 44, 43, 46:
average(car) = (42+45+44+43+46)/5 = 220/5 = 44.0 cm.
- If your washer distances (cm) were 20, 22, 19, 21, 20:
average(washer) = (20+22+19+21+20)/5 = 102/5 = 20.4 cm.

What to record in Table B
- Record each trial distance, then the calculated average for car and for washer (in cm).
- For qualitative observations, note what happened to the washer when the car hit the textbook (for example: “washer flew forward off the track and landed on the floor,” “washer spun and fell off the side,” “washer bounced and changed direction,” etc.). Say whether that behavior happened the same way each trial or whether it varied, and mention any outliers or trials that looked different and why (e.g., track angle, washer placement).

If you paste your trial distances here I’ll compute the averages and help you word the qualitative observation.