Goals

• To understand the motion behind a projectile from a catapult or trebuchet
• To comprehend the mathematics behind parabolas
• To apply cosines and sines to aid in finding the initial velocity in both the x- and y-directions

Objectives

• Students will observe and describe the projectile motion of a catapult shot
• Students will apply previous height and rate formulas to the catapult problem
• Students will determine that gravity does not affect the velocity in the x-direction (horizontal direction)
• Students will describe the graph of a projectile and accurately label its relevant parts
• Students will determine the angle that will give the maximum distance to a projectile
• Students will create a formula to predict the landing area of a catapult shot