Introduction

This lab continues our previous investigation of the projectile problem. In this lab, we learn how to use the Maple solve, fsolve, and plot commands to locate and find solutions of one or more equations.

We will use several different approaches to solve the same problem, which we partly solved in the previous lab. Briefly stated, the problem was the following.

Suppose that the target is at the point x=30m and y=5m. Given the values , and , what value of should you use to hit the target?

In the previous lab, we solved for the value of time which gave y=5 and plotted x at this value of time versus so that approximate solutions could be read off the graph.

A big part of learning how to use Maple with minimal frustration is being willing to take several different approaches. In general, the simplest approach that works is the best. However, this isn't always the first approach you try. In the rest of this lab, we go through six different methods to try to solve our problem. Not all of them work, which leads us to try alternatives.