Build 01 · Motion
Seattle Great Wheel
We visited the Great Wheel, timed its motion, built a circular model, and then combined student additions into a day-and-night Seattle scene.
Welcome to Math in Motion
Math in Motion is a University of Washington course built around seeing mathematics, modeling real motion, and making visual and interactive things.
Mathematical builds
I am thinking of these a little like mathematical LEGO builds: begin with a few reusable pieces, assemble them step by step, see what the mathematics creates, and then make the build your own.
The long-term idea:
these pages can become exemplars for students and, eventually, a much larger collection
of visual build instructions. Some will begin with something we observed in the real world.
Others will begin with a simple mathematical question. In both cases, the goal is to make
the mathematics visible enough that someone can build with it.
1
Start small. Identify the basic mathematical pieces.
2
Build visually. Add one idea at a time and see what changes.
3
Play and extend. Change the rules, add motion, or invent something new.
Build 02 · Geometry
Pancake Cutting Lab
Move four cuts through a circle, watch the areas change, and then extend the same idea into a sphere with 27 regions and a linked 3D volume model.
These are the first two entries. As the collection grows, this section can become a searchable build library organized by ideas such as circular motion, projectiles, oscillation, waves, constraints, geometry, and 3D modeling.
What we will share
Desmos notebooks
Interactive graphs, animations, experiments, and mathematical models from class.
Interactive webpages
A few projects will grow into standalone webpages that anyone can explore.
Class creations
Selected student work, experiments, and projects that are especially fun to share.
What we are exploring
We will begin with two major kinds of motion, then use those ideas as a starting point for several other investigations.
Circular motion
Ferris wheels, rotating objects, trigonometric motion, and the Seattle Great Wheel.
Projectile motion
Tossing, launching, measuring height, and building models from real motion.
Along the way
We will explore a variety of specific visual and motion-based topics as questions arise.
Disneyland ride modeling
We will finish by using the mathematics we have developed to model the motion of rides
and attractions from Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.
The build library is just beginning.
More motion models, Desmos constructions, interactive webpages, class projects, and step-by-step mathematical builds will be added as the course develops.
More motion models, Desmos constructions, interactive webpages, class projects, and step-by-step mathematical builds will be added as the course develops.