Parametric equations are used extensively in elementary Physics classes.

The classic example is

projectile motion under the influence of gravity, but with no air resistance. If we fire a
projectile at an angle

with respect to the horizontal with an initial velocity,

v 0 , then we

decompose the velocity into two components, horizontal and vertical, using right triangle
trigonometry.

Now we can define our parametric equations for projectile motion. The

equation is defined

using the formula familiar to all (and hated by some) first-year Physics students

h(t )=

g 2
t + v y t + h0 . Since there is no air resistance, the
2

equation is simply the horizontal

velocity (which remains constant) multiplied by the elapsed time.

If for our example we use

v x 38.30 m/ sec

and

=40 , and

v 0 =50 m/ sec

then we can compute that

v y 32.14 m/sec . If we say the initial height,

h0=10 m , then our

equations are:

x ( t )=38.30 t
y ( t )=

9.81 2
t + 32.14 t+10
2

First lets figure out the range of

t -values. Clearly

t min=0 , but what about

about your window? Clearly we dont need any negative

or

t max ? What

values, so we know they

lowest they should go is zero, but what about their maximum values? Use Algebra and Calculus
to find appropriate maximum values for your variables.
Now lets open GeoGebra and lets make this projectile!

t , and set an appropriate Min, Max, and Increment.

Define a slider in GeoGebra. Call it

(I did Increment: .05).

Right-click it and choose Object Properties. Set Speed to 2 and Repeat to Increasing
(Once).

Now in the input bar define a point,

Right-click your slider and choose Animation On.

P=(38.3 t ,4.905 t 2 +32.14 t +10) .

To see the entire path, we will use these same equations, but this time we will use them to define
2

a parametric curve. In the input bar type Curve[ 38.3 t ,4.905 t +32.14 t +10,t , 0,6.85 ].
What will we see if we define a vector whose components are the coordinates of the point,

P ?

In the input bar type Vector[P]. Now we have a vector that draws our curve!
Now in the input bar type

t' s

in order to define a number whose value is always the same as

value. Redefine your Curve by double-clicking its equation. Change it so that the End

Value is
point,

b=t

instead of 6.85. Animate your slider to see the vector draw the curve behind the

P .

Now, sometimes we can observe and record the path of some object over time, and we want to
deduce information about the velocity and acceleration of the object.
Open a new GeoGebra file and lets explore another parametrically defined curve.
Define functions

f ( x )=(1x)( 3x)( 5x )

and

equations to hide them. We are going to use

y (t )

equation as

goes from

to

g ( x ) =f ( x +1) . Then click the bullets by their

for our

x (t)

equation and

for our

5 .

Define six points by typing (f(t),g(t)) into the Input bar using the times

t=0,1,2,3,4,5 . Resize

your window so you can see all of these points. Can you visualize the path of the particle from
these six points?
Lets see the entire curve. In the Input bar, type:
Curve[f(t),g(t),t,0,5].
Notice how the points you plotted are closer together on the loop part of the curve. What does
this mean?
As in the projectile motion problem, define a slider called

with Min:0, Max:5, Increment: .05,

Speed: 2, and Repeat: Increasing. Define a point, P=(f(t),g(t)). Animate the slider. See how the
particle slows down in the loop?

Here comes the Calculus! We want to know how fast this particle is moving (and its acceleration

x ( t ) is the horizontal component of the particles

too) at any given time. Consider this if

position at time

t , then what is

If we define a vectors,

v x =

dx
,0
dt

dx
dt

and

vy = 0,

dy
dt

, then these are the horizontal and vertical

components of the particles velocity, respectively. Their vector sum is called the velocity vector,
and it points in the direction that the particle is moving at each moment. Its length is equal to
the magnitude of the velocity (this magnitude has a special name speed). So, when anyone
says velocity they are talking about a vector (it has both magnitude and direction). The term
speed is directionless, it is just the magnitude of the velocity vector.

velocity=

speed=

dx dy
,
dt dt

dx 2 dy
+
dt
dt

)( )

Lets attach the velocity vector at time,

t , to our animated point,

P .

First lets have GeoGebra take our derivatives for us.

In the input bar type:
Derivative[f]
And then:
Derivative[g]
Hide the graphs of these derivatives by clicking the bullet by their equations.

Now lets define the vectors that for just the individual components of the velocity.
Type:
Vector[(f(t),0)]
Vector[(0,g(t)]
These are the vectors

v x =

dx
,0
dt

and

vy = 0,

dy
dt

GeoGebra will have named these vectors

and

v . In the input bar add them together,

u + v .
Right-click each of these vectors and choose Object Properties. Under the Position tab set the
Starting point to be your point,

P , from the drop-down menu.

Now when we animate the slider,

t , we can see the velocity vector and its two components as

the particle moves through space. Feel free to change the colors of the 3 vectors or to hide any
of them as you watch the animation.
What do you notice about the velocity vector relative to the curve at each moment in time?
Does this make sense?
What do you think the acceleration vector is? Can you make it? Try it!
Have GeoGebra take second derivatives of

and

g , and define Vector[(f(t),g(t))]. This is

the acceleration vector,

a =

d x d y
, 2
2
dt d t

We can attach this vector to the point,

P , like we did the velocity vector, or we can define a

point to be at the head of the velocity vector and attach the acceleration vector to this point.
This will create a nice visualization where the acceleration vector appears to tug on the
velocity vector, pulling it along the curve.

Select the second thumbnail,

. Then create a point at the head of the velocity vector by
left-clicking the arrow head of that vector. This can also be accomplished by adding the point

and the velocity vector in the input bar. Now under Object Properties of your acceleration

vector, attach your acceleration vector to the point at the head of the velocity vector. Turn the
animation back on, sit back and watch.

Whats the Most Exciting Moment on the Tilt-a-Whirl?

A Calculus Lab
The Tilt-a-Whirl is a popular carnival ride in which
riders sit in carts that can be spun by the rider in circles,
while the carts themselves are going around in a
larger circle.
The distance from the center of the large circle to the
center of a carts small circle is 5 meters. The carts
small circle has a radius (from center to seat) of about
one meter. The large circle takes 12 seconds to make
a complete rotation. The small circles are actually
controlled by the riders, but lets suppose that a rider
is spinning as hard as she can in the same direction,
and the cart spins once every three seconds.
That leads to the following parametric equations for the path of a person riding the Tilt-a-Whirl:

( 212t )+cos ( 23t )

2 t
2 t
5 sin (
+sin (
)
12
3 )

x (t) 5 cos
y (t)

Lets create an animation of the path of a rider with the position, velocity, and acceleration
vectors.

f ( x )=5 cos

In GeoGebra, define

( 212x )+cos( 23x )

and

g ( x ) =5 sin

( 212x )+sin ( 23x )

. Then define

a curve by typing into input bar: Curve[ f ( t ) , g ( t ) , t , 0,12 ]. Have GeoGebra take the first and
second derivatives of
Create a slider for

and

g .

with a range of

to

12 . Define position, velocity, and acceleration

vectors using these functions, and their first and second derivatives (as we did with the
parametric loop problem).
Put a point at the head of the position vector (or define a point

(f ( t ) , g( t))

which will always be

at the head of the position vector!), and then attach the velocity vector to it. Create a point at
the head of the velocity vector and attach the acceleration vector to it. Now animate your slider.
Next we want to graph the magnitudes of these vectors in a separate graphing window. Go to
the View drop down menu and choose Graphics 2. Move the Graphics 2 window to the bottom of
your screen by dragging it (left-click and hold as you drag) from the top if its window. Then adjust
your axes appropriately.
To find the magnitudes of our vectors, we only need to take the absolute value of them. That is,
the magnitude of a vector,

u , is simply

|( u )| . Now define three points each of the form

( t ,|(u )|)

. We can right-click these points and select Trace On to see the magnitudes over time

as we animate

t .