Lab #1 – Problem Solving With Microsoft Excel -Cable Car Velocity
Objective: In this lab you will learn and apply a five-step problem-solving
process, use Microsoft Excel and learn its basic applications for computation and
graphing.
Using a Five-Step Problem-Solving Process
Computer tools are most effective in problem solving when a problem is
oken
into steps that the computer can perform. The problem-solving process introduced
in this lab is based on a general five-step problem solving process, modified when
using computer tools or programs such as Excel.
General Problem-Solving Model XXXXXXXXXXExcel Problem-
Solving Model
1. Define the problem. XXXXXXXXXXProblem statement.
2. Gather information. XXXXXXXXXXInput/output description.
3. Generate and evaluate potential solutions. Hand solve an example.
4. Refine and implement a solution XXXXXXXXXXAlgorithm development.
5. Verify and test the solution XXXXXXXXXXTesting.
Problem:
Apply the five-step process above to solve the following problem. The velocity of
a cable car as it moves along a 500-foot cable stretched between two towers is to
e computed. The velocity of the cable car depends on its position on the cable.
You are given equations below that approximate the velocity of the cable car as a
function of distance of the cable from a tower. When the cable car is within 30 feet
of a tower, its velocity is given by:
You want to compute the velocity of the car from the time it starts moving from
the first tower until it reaches the second tower, in increments of 5 feet.
A. Prepare an Excel worksheet that tabulates the following
1. distance of the cable car from the first tower, in increments of 5 feet
2. the number of the nearest tower (1=first, 2=end)
3. distance from the nearest tower
4. 4. velocity of the cable car
Note: The distance from the nearest tower, not the total distance, is used in the
velocity equations.
B. Create a scatter plot of the velocity of the cable car at different positions.
C. What are the maximum and minimum velocities of the cable car?
Prepare a
ief technical memo including your design approach, data table, graph
of cable car velocity vs. position, and answers to the questions.