A Run for Two - revised

GREEN and BLUE are on a circular track. Use the sliders to set their speeds. You can trace the motion of a point on the line joining the two points. Alternatively, you can trace the separation of the two points as they move around the track. How does the separation between GREEN and BLUE vary with time, when a) they are both traveling in one direction at different speeds b) they are traveling in opposite directions but at the same speed c) they are traveling in opposite directions at different speeds How does the position of a point on the line segment separating GREEN and BLUE vary with time, when a) GREEN & BLUE are traveling in one direction at different speeds b) GREEN & BLUE are traveling in opposite directions but at the same speed c) GREEN & BLUE are traveling in opposite directions at different speeds How do all these quantites change as you move the point YELLOW point along the line segment separating GREEN & BLUE? Use the buttons to start & stop an animation. What questions could/would you pose to your students based on this applet? What sorts of answers do you imagine getting when you ask those questions?