2.11.

2 Project: Performance Task: The Parallax

Problem Project
Geometry Sem 1 Name: Ty West
Date: 11/30/22

The Scenario: You’re looking for a

sponsor to pay for you to participate in
a sailboat race. Now that you’ve solved
the parallax problem, use the same
skills you used there to write a proposal
that shows that you can win the race.
The Project: Use the information
provided in the performance task to
estimate your travel costs and to
calculate your average speed and the
speed of last year’s winner. Use the
questions below to help you gather
information to write your proposal.

Part I: Which race? Choose a city (8 points)

When you write your proposal, you’ll need to tell your sponsor about the costs
and risks involved in the race you’ve chosen. You’ll investigate these in Part I.

1. Which city did you pick and why? (2 points)

Sydney, Australia, because I’ve always wanted to go there.

2. What is one common boating hazard in this city? (2 points)

It is shallow, but busy. The hazards include rocks, stingrays and sharks.

3. What are your total travel expenses? (4 points: 2 points for airfare/hotel. 1
point for total)

My round trip airfare is $2000. My hotel is $250/night for 10 nights or 2500. My total travel
expense is $4500.

Part II: Which category? Choose your boat (10 points)

Your proposal will also discuss how likely it is that you’ll win the race. In Part II,
you’ll calculate your average race speed for the type of boat you’ve chosen.
1. Which boat did you choose and why? (2 points)

Catamaran since it is less likely to turn over.

2. What is one advantage of your boat? (2 points)

It is faster than most other small boats.

3. What is one disadvantage of your boat? (2 points)

It is harder to turn back over if it capsizes.

4. For the city and boat you picked above, what were the speeds of your last
three races (in knots)? (2 points)

6.09, 9.90, & 9.90

5. What is your average race speed? (2 points)

8.61

Part III: The Olympic triangle (22

points)
1.Draw a sketch of the short course triangle below, labeling the points A, B,
and C. Don’t draw it on your master map yet! (3 points)

2. Draw the arrows to represent your path along the course. (3 points)

3. Where do you start? (3 points)

Point A

4. What are the measures for angles B and C? (3 points)

60 Degrees

5. What is the measure for angle A? (3 points)

60 Degrees

6. What do you know about the distance between each buoy? (3 points)

They are equal

7. The wind is blowing opposite to leg AB. Given the fact that you’re traveling
in a wind-powered boat, which leg of the course will take you the longest?
Why? (4 points)

The leg that will take the longest will be from point A to point B, because I will be going
against the wind.

Part IV: Last year’s winner (9 points)

Your sponsor will need to know how
your average speeds compare to the
speeds of past winners. In Part IV, you’ll
find out how to calculate boat speeds in
knots (nautical miles per hour).
1. What was the winning time of last year’s race for your city and boat? (2
points, one for each leg)

16.5

2. Do you know how fast last year’s winner was traveling? (2 points)

No
 3. What information do you need to know to calculate last year’s winning
speed? Remember, the distance traveled (length of the course) is equal to the
rate (boat’s speed) times the time. (2 points)

Distance traveled

A nautical mile is 6076 feet. A speed of one nautical mile per hour is a knot. In
the next two questions, you will convert a speed in feet per minute to knots.
4. If you travel 1000 feet in 5 minutes, what is your speed in feet per minute?
(1 point)

200 feet per minute

5. What is your speed in knots? Hint: Use the number of minutes in an hour to
convert the speed to feet per hour. Then use the number of feet in a nautical
mile to convert feet per hour to knots. (2 points: 1 point for finding the speed
in feet/hr, 1 point for converting to knots)

1.974946 kt

Part V: The map (20 points)

In Part V, you’re going to use your knowledge of parallax to find the distance of
the race course. Below is a grid to draw your Master map on. Use this to draw
your parallax triangles and distances. Don’t worry about drawing your map to
scale. The grid is there to help you draw straighter lines.

1. What are the two landmarks from your city that you’ll use for parallax? (2
points)

South tower and north tower

2. What is the distance between your two landmarks? (2 points)

1700 Feet

3. Call the North Landmark L1 and the South Landmark L2. Sketch the points
L1 and L2 on your map. (2 points)

4. What is the fixed point in the water that you will use for parallax? (2 points)

Hazard buoy

5. Call your fixed point P. Sketch the point P onto the map. (2 points)
 6. What is the distance from your fixed point P to the line between L1 and L2
(called L1L2)? (2 points)

2,500 ft.

7. Draw the line from your fixed point P to the line L1L2 and add to the length
of this line. (2 points)

8. Label the point of intersection between line L1L2 and the new line as point
D. (2 points)

9. What is the distance from L1 to D? That is, what is the measure of the line
segment L1D? Hint: review the diagram in "The Race Course" section of the
Performance Task. (2 points)

3,460 ft.

10. What is the distance from L2 to D? That is, what is the measure of the line
segment L2D? (2 points)

1,700 ft.

Part VI: Solving the problem. (10 points)

In Parts VI, VII, and VIII, you’ll use your map to find the length of the race
course. Knowing the distance will allow you to find the average speed of last
year’s winner.
Draw the Olympic triangle on your map.
1. Buoy marker A was set so that it’s in a perfect line of sight with the hazard
buoy and the landmark L2. Draw buoy A so that it’s in the proper line. You can
choose the position of buoy A. (2 points)
2. The first leg of the racing triangle AB runs parallel to the bridge. Draw this line.
(2 points)

3. Buoy marker B was set so that it’s in a perfect line of sight with the hazard
buoy and the landmark L1. Draw buoy B so that it’s on the parallax line. (2 points)

4. Sketch buoy marker C, remembering what you know about the Olympic
triangle. Don’t worry if your drawing is not to scale. (2 points)

5. What is the distance from the hazard buoy to racing buoy A? Hint: review the
diagram in "The Race Course" section of the Performance Task. Write this
distance on your map. (2 points)

3460 ft

Part VII: Calculate the distances. (23 points)

 1. What is the distance from the hazard buoy P to the southern landmark L2?
Use this formula: , where d is the distance from P to L2, DL2
is the distance from D to L2, and PD is the distance from P to D. Round to the
nearest foot. (5 points)

3970 ft.

2. What triangles are similar? How do you know? (5 points)

Triangles △ABC and △APB are similar, because they have the same shape.

3. What is the distance between buoy A and B? (5 points)

4,010ft because each angle measures 60 degrees meaning all the sides have the same
distance.

4. What are the lengths of the other two triangle legs? (4 points: 2 points
each)
Remember what you know about the shape of the Race Course.

4,010ft because since each angle measures 60 degrees, it is an equilateral triangle, so all the
sides have the same length.

5. What is the total length of the race course? (4 points: 3 for calculation, 1 for
answer)

4,010 * 3 = 12,030
So, the length of the course is 12,030 ft

Part VIII: Calculate the winner’s speed. (10 points)

1. What was the winner’s speed during last year’s race? (5 points: 3 points for
speed. 2 points for conversion to knots).

Speed is 50 mph (43.4 knots)

2. How does the winner’s speed compare with your average speed? How
much faster or slower are you? (5 points)

The winner’s speed is 30 mph faster than me.

Part IX: Write your proposal. (8 points)

Now it’s time to make your proposal to the sponsor. Your sponsor will have their
logo on your boat, so they want to be sure it’s likely to do well. The sponsor also
needs to know what the expenses and risks are, so they know how much their
investment in you will cost.

1. Complete the table to summarize the results of your study. (4 points)

Category: Race:

Itemized Travel Cost $4,500

It is shallow, but busy. The hazards include rocks,

Risk Analysis: Safety hazards stingrays and sharks.                                           

My time and speed Time: 8.61 Speed 2 knots per hr.

Competitive Analysis: Last year's winning time and speed 50 mph

Reward Analysis: My chances of winning My chances of winning are very high

 2. Write a summary paragraph explaining why the sponsor should accept your
proposal. (4 points)
The sponsor should accept my proposal because I will produce the most legendary race that
will ever be sponsored. This race would be like Fast and Furious but with boats. The hazards
will bring excitement and depth to the race. The risk combined with the competitiveness will
ultimately increase the return on investment for the sponsor.

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2.11.2 Project: Performance Task: The Parallax Problem