2.9.2 Project: Solving the Skid-Distance Problem
The Scenario: You're a private investigator working for an insurance
company. You've been hired to research a car accident and determine
who was at fault.
The Project: Use the information provided in the performance task to
analyze the accident and prepare a report for the insurance company.
I. What's the Problem? 8 points
Your job as investigator is to determine who caused this accident. Is the driver responsible, or is the
farmer responsible? Read the accounts of the accident, and then answer the following questions.
1. Why is the driver unhappy? According to the driver, what caused the accident? (4 points)
The driver is unhappy because she was coming around a curve and almost hit a cow.
According to the driver it was the cow being in the middle of the road
2. Why is the farmer unhappy? According to the farmer, was the accident avoidable? (4 points)
The farmer was unhappy because he was trying to bring the cow back and waved to the driver to
let her know he was there. But she was speeding and going way too fast. The accident was
avoidable if she wasn’t speeding.
Now that we know what we're looking for, let's gather some information!
, II. What Do the Experts Say? 14 points
3. According to the automotive engineer, what two quantities will you need to compare in order to
decide whether the driver could have prevented the accident? (4 points)
The two quantities are stopping distance and visibility distance
4. According to the professional driver, what are the three parts that make up the total stopping
distance? (3 points: 1 point for each blank)
total stopping distance = _____ + _____ + _____
Total stopping distance = reaction distance+brake engagement braking distance= Total
stopping distance
5. According to the math professor, what is the skid-distance formula (incorporating braking
efficiency)? (4 points)
speed= sqrt(30*drag factor*skid distance*braking efficiency)
6. What other formula did the professor provide? How can it help you find the distance? (3 points)
distance= speed*time
These formulas use several different variables. Find the values by gathering data about the crash.
Drag factor= 0.90
Skid distance= 45 feet
braking efficiency= 80%
III. Gathering the Data 18 points
The Scenario: You're a private investigator working for an insurance
company. You've been hired to research a car accident and determine
who was at fault.
The Project: Use the information provided in the performance task to
analyze the accident and prepare a report for the insurance company.
I. What's the Problem? 8 points
Your job as investigator is to determine who caused this accident. Is the driver responsible, or is the
farmer responsible? Read the accounts of the accident, and then answer the following questions.
1. Why is the driver unhappy? According to the driver, what caused the accident? (4 points)
The driver is unhappy because she was coming around a curve and almost hit a cow.
According to the driver it was the cow being in the middle of the road
2. Why is the farmer unhappy? According to the farmer, was the accident avoidable? (4 points)
The farmer was unhappy because he was trying to bring the cow back and waved to the driver to
let her know he was there. But she was speeding and going way too fast. The accident was
avoidable if she wasn’t speeding.
Now that we know what we're looking for, let's gather some information!
, II. What Do the Experts Say? 14 points
3. According to the automotive engineer, what two quantities will you need to compare in order to
decide whether the driver could have prevented the accident? (4 points)
The two quantities are stopping distance and visibility distance
4. According to the professional driver, what are the three parts that make up the total stopping
distance? (3 points: 1 point for each blank)
total stopping distance = _____ + _____ + _____
Total stopping distance = reaction distance+brake engagement braking distance= Total
stopping distance
5. According to the math professor, what is the skid-distance formula (incorporating braking
efficiency)? (4 points)
speed= sqrt(30*drag factor*skid distance*braking efficiency)
6. What other formula did the professor provide? How can it help you find the distance? (3 points)
distance= speed*time
These formulas use several different variables. Find the values by gathering data about the crash.
Drag factor= 0.90
Skid distance= 45 feet
braking efficiency= 80%
III. Gathering the Data 18 points
