Catapulting pumpkins

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Lindsey Brewer’s Pre-Calculus class at Huron High School made catapults and shot candy pumpkins as an introduction to their next chapter.

Students collected data on the height, distance and time traveled by the pumpkin. Video of the catapulting pumpkins was taken and later students will derive a quadratic equation that models the flight.

The activity was fun and engaging — best of all students see the real life application of quadratic functions with projectile motion.