Question: One of the highlights in a school fair is the skateboard race. For the past two years, your classmate Aaron had won the race and he is bragging about it. You and your classmates are annoyed by this attitude and want to end this winning streak. The race will be held on the last day of the school fair.
Today is the Mega Race. To compete with Aaron are Bea, Carl, Donna, and Fred. Who's going to win the race? Study the following conditions:
1. Aaron rides at a constant rate of 2 meters per second.
2. Bea can ride her skateboard 1 meter per second. Can she beat Aaron if she had a 3-meter headstart?
3. Carl rides 3 meters every 4 seconds and wants a 2-meter headstart.
4. Donna estimates that she rides 3 meters in 3 seconds and will get a 5-meter headstart.
5. Fred usually rides 1 meter in 4 seconds and wants a 6-meter headstart.
Graph and write an equation in terms of x and y, showing the distance each rider travels. Let x represent time in seconds and y represent the distance in meters. Extend your graph appropriately.
Use a table to organize your information. Find the slope of the equation for each rider. Find the y-intercept for each equation.
1. Who won the skateboard race? What was the speed of this winner?
2. List the order of the participants who finished the race. Indicate the time it took them to finish.
3. After 8 seconds, which rider had travelled the least distance from the starting line? Who had travelled the longest distance?
4. Was there a point where more than two riders tied?
5. If the race were only 20 meters long, can this affect the order of the winners?
6. If the race is 22 meters, how much of a headstart does Donna need to beat Aaron?