Explore these sample problems online
These sample problems play in your Web browser, and require the free Adobe Shockwave plug-in.
NOTE: these problems are demonstrations, not complete tutorials. The complete tutorials contain additional information, such as algebraic methods for solving the problems.
Average Speed The lesson on Average Speed allows you to improve your estimates of the average speed of a round trip. You can then try to infer how the slower speed limits the average speed by seeing a graph of the correct answers.
Task Completion The Tank Filling Problem allows you to improve your estimates of how long it will take two pipes to fill a tank. Next, you will attempt a more challenging variation in which there is a leak in the tank.
Chemical Kinetics This demonstration gives you practice in estimating the percentage of atoms that have enough kinetic energy to react. You can also observe the effect of temperature on kinetic energy and reactions.
The Bridge Problem The Bridge Problem demonstrates how you can use mental simulation to simplify the solution of a complex problem. We plan to include the Bridge Problem in a future module on problem solving heuristics.
Catch Up The Catch Up Problem helps you figure out when two bodies moving at different speeds will meet. You will solve how long it takes a big sister to catch up with her little brother, and then test your answer in a simulation of the problem.
Personal Financial Planning In this lesson you can play with graphs and other representations to get a feeling for the relationship among variables having to do with mixing interest rates, comparing simple and compound interest, and loan amortization.
