Resumen de An application of calculus: optimum parabolic path problem
Merve Atasever, Mehmet Pakdemirli
A practical and technological application of calculus problem is posed to motivate freshman students or juniory high school students. A variable coefficient of friction is used in modelling air friction. The case in which the coefficient of friction is a decreasing function of altitude is considered. The optimum parabolic path for a flying object for which the work done by variable coefficient air friction force is minimum is determined. If a flying object follows the determined path, energy requirement would be less compared with other parabolic or linear paths.
