The equations
x = 4t and y = 2 - 10t - 5t^2
can represent the path of a projectile. They are called parametric equations and t is the parameter.
x = 4t and y = 2 - 10t - 5t^2
can represent the path of a projectile. They are called parametric equations and t is the parameter.
Software/Applets used on this page
Glossary
parameter
a) a constant or variable term in a function that determines the specific form of the function but not its general nature, as a in f(x) = ax, where a determines only the slope of the line described by f(x).
b) one of the independent variables in a set of parametric equations.
b) one of the independent variables in a set of parametric equations.
parametric equations
a pair of equations x=u(t) and y=v(t) where t is a parameter, that describe a curve.
path
A finite sequence of edges such that the end vertex of one edge in the sequence is the start vertex of the next and in which no vertex appears more than once.
projectile
a body moving in a gravitational field under free fall
union
The union of two sets A and B is the set containing all the elements of A and B.
This question appears in the following syllabi:
| Syllabus | Module | Section | Topic | Exam Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AQA A-Level (UK - Pre-2017) | M1 | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| AQA A2 Maths 2017 | Mechanics | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| AQA AS/A2 Maths 2017 | Mechanics | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| CCEA A-Level (NI) | M2 | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| CIE A-Level (UK) | M2 | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| Edexcel A-Level (UK - Pre-2017) | M2 | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| Edexcel A2 Maths 2017 | Mechanics | Projectiles | Projectiles | - |
| Edexcel AS/A2 Maths 2017 | Mechanics | Projectiles | Projectiles | - |
| OCR A-Level (UK - Pre-2017) | M2 | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| OCR A2 Maths 2017 | Mechanics | Motion in Two Dimensions | Projectiles | - |
| OCR MEI A2 Maths 2017 | Mechanics | Projectiles | Projectiles | - |
| OCR-MEI A-Level (UK - Pre-2017) | M1 | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| Pre-U A-Level (UK) | Mech | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| Universal (all site questions) | K | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |
| WJEC A-Level (Wales) | M2 | Kinematics | Projectiles | - |