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
To calculate the average distances the car and washer traveled, add up all the distances traveled by each and then divide by the number of trials.
Let's say the car traveled the following distances in cm: 25, 20, 30, 22, 27.
The average distance the car traveled would be (25+20+30+22+27)/5 = 24.8 cm.
Similarly, let's say the washer traveled the following distances in cm: 15, 18, 12, 20, 17.
The average distance the washer traveled would be (15+18+12+20+17)/5 = 16.4 cm.
After the car hit the textbook, the washer fell off the track. The washer did not always behave the same way every time, as the distance it traveled varied in each trial.