Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits

Introduction

There are 43 wind tunnels on-site at NASA Langley Research Center, 28 of which are operational. One wind tunnel visited was the 7 x 10 foot tunnel.

In this WebQuest, you will explore the angles formed by the blades, making connections to objects and situations with which you are familiar.

Apply transformations and use symmetry to analyze mathematical situations.

Use Visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems.

NCTM Standard 9, Connections: Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to—

• recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas;
• understand how mathematical ideas interconnect and build on one another to produce a coherent whole;
• recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics.

In this set of activities, you will be required to process and transform information to answer a set  of questions after reviewing web-based information about geometry and angles. Connections to nature will also be made.

The answers to some activities might best be found through use of a calculator.

Place your answers here:

1. Degree angle measure, circle: __________ degrees.
2. Number of blades, estimation: __________.
3. Angle measure, based on estimation: __________ degrees.
4. Angle measure, actual: __________ degrees.
5. BART
   • Angle measure, inner fan: __________ degrees.
   • Angle measure, outer fan: __________ degrees.
6. Full-scale tunnel fan
   • Number of blades: __________.
   • Angle measure: __________ degrees.

In this activity, you were able to give an estimate to a geometry problem, solve problems, and make comparisons between different types of symmetry. For further reading, you may want to view the following web sites:

NASA Quest Wind Tunnels

Ask Dr. Math - Rotational Symmetry

Ask Dr. Math. (2002). Rotational symmetry. Retrieved 06/20/2002, from http://mathforum.com/library/drmath/view/53326.html

NASA Langley Research Center. (2002). Retrieved 06/20/2002, from http://www.larc.nasa.gov/

NASA Langley Research Center. (2002). Research opportunities for faculty and postdoctoral researchers. Retrieved 06/20/2002, from http://edu.larc.nasa.gov/InfoGuide_old/section5gphotos.html

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2002). Symmetries and their properties. Retrieved 06/21/02, from http://illuminations.nctm.org/imath/912/symmetry/index.html

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Understanding congruence, similarity, and symmetry using transformations and interactive figures: Visualizing transformations. Retrieved 06/21/02, from http://standards.nctm.org/document/eexamples/chap6/6.4/index.htm

Old Dominion University. (2001). Langley full-scale tunnel. Retrieved 06/20/2002, from http://www.lfst.com/

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