Acme Roller Coaster Company

Acme Roller Coaster Company

BackgroundA roller coaster is a thrill ride found in amusement and theme parks. It consists of small open cars that run on inclined railway tracks, driven by gravity and momentum. Their path often includes twists, loops, and drops. Roller coasters are designed to appear dangerous, but they are safe as long as riders follow prescribed precautions.

Brief History of the Roller CoasterThe earliest known devices resembling roller coasters were ice-covered wooden slides constructed in Russia in the 1400's. The first American roller coaster was built at Coney Island in New York City in 1884. By the 1920's, there were about 2,000 roller coasters in North America. Today, there are about 175 large, permanent roller coasters in the United States, some with reported speeds of about 70 miles per hour.

Roller Coasters UtahIn Utah there are two roller coaster engineering companies. One of them, in Layton, constructed the cauldron torch at Rice Stadium for the 2002 Winter Olympics. The other company is located in Logan.

Brain-stormingThinking of any possible solution or idea that comes to your mind. When a group of people brainstorm, no idea is rejected. Even bad suggestions can stimulate thought and lead to other good ideas.

Clearly identify the problemCollect InformationDevelop Possible Solution IdeasSelect the best ideaTest the ideaEvaluate the resultsThe Problem Solving Method is usually not an attempt to expand the body of scientific knowledge. Rather, its used to produce a product, solve a problem, or satisfy a human need using existing knowledge, resources, and processes

When engineers design a new roller coaster they dont just order materials and start building a roller coaster at the amusement park. They first:Brainstorm ideasMake drawingsCalculate construction costsTest the design with a computer simulationDesign a scale modelOrder materials and build the roller coasterSafety certify the new roller coaster through trial runAnd finally open the new roller coaster for paying customers

Scientific MethodA method of research scientists use to understand the natural world and to expand the body of scientific knowledge. It is a method of research in which:1. Observations are made and a problem identified.2. A hypothesis is formulated from the observations and gathered data.3. A prediction is made based upon the hypothesis.4. The hypothesis is tested.5. Results are evaluated. If necessary the hypothesis is modified and retested.6. After repeated similar test results a conclusion is made and a theory proposed.Your Mission:Your engineering group has been hired by the Acme Roller Coaster Company to design and build a new roller coaster for Lagoon. When engineers design a new roller coaster they dont just order materials and start building a roller coaster at the amusement park.Requirements:The Acme Roller Coaster Company has been given a contract to build a roller coaster with: A starting hillA humpA loop 180 degree change of direction.Your task is to build a working modelReceive Materials.Go!!!!!!Challenge #2Now, design a second roller coaster. This time it must have: A humpA 180 degree change of direction in the middleThree loops.Discussion:How did you handle leadership in your groups?What makes a good team leader?How well did your groups work together?What could have helped your teams work better together?

The Real worldWhat happened here is similar to a real company. It is true that people dont usually appoint themselves to be the boss. And the company employees usually dont get to elect their boss. If you are part of an engineering team the team leader will usually be appointed. Sometimes you may have to just do what the boss asks you to do.IDEAL Problem Solving ProcessWhat was the first thing you did as a group to solve the roller coaster design problem?What was the next thing that you did to solve the problem?The IDEAL Process:Investigate the situationDefine the problemExplore possible solutionsAct on one of the solutionsLook back and evaluate the solutionIDEAL Method vs. Scientific MethodInvestigate the situationDefine the problemExplore possible solutionsAct on one of the solutionsLook back and evaluate the solutionObservation

Hypothesis

Prediction

Testing

Theory