Example Project: Speed-Time Graph
(Gradient as Speed)
Topic:
Speed-Time Graph – Understanding the Gradient as Speed
Part 1: Working on Real-Life Graphs
Scenario:
Imagine a car is traveling on a straight road at a constant speed. The driver checks the car's
speed at different time intervals over a total of 10 minutes. Your task is to plot the distance-
time graph and calculate the gradient (which represents the speed of the car).
Here is the data we collected:
| **Time (minutes)** | **Distance (kilometers)** |
|--------------------|---------------------------|
|0 |0 |
|2 | 10 |
|4 | 20 |
|6 | 30 |
|8 | 40 |
| 10 | 50 |
Step 1: Plotting the Graph
We plot **time (x-axis)** against **distance (y-axis)** using the data above.
The points we plot are:
(0,0), (2,10), (4,20), (6,30), (8,40), and (10,50).
After plotting, we draw a straight line through these points.
Step 2: Calculating the Gradient
The **gradient (m)** represents the speed of the car. To calculate the gradient, we use the
formula:
Gradient (m) = Change in Distance (Δy) / Change in Time (Δx)
From the graph, let’s use two points:
Point 1: (2, 10)
Point 2: (10, 50)
m = (50 - 10) / (10 - 2) = 40 / 8 = 5 km/min
This means the car is traveling at a constant speed of **5 kilometers per minute**.
Step 3: Identifying the Intercept
The intercept is where the graph crosses the **y-axis**. In this case, the line crosses the y-
axis at the origin (0,0). This means that when time is 0 minutes, the distance covered is 0
kilometers, which makes sense because the car starts at the beginning of the journey.
Part 2: Presenting Your Work on Art Paper
For this part, we would now present our graph and findings on an art paper.
1. **Neat Graph**:
- Draw the distance-time graph we plotted earlier.
- Make sure the axes are labeled correctly (Time in minutes on the x-axis, Distance in
kilometers on the y-axis).
- Clearly mark the points on the graph and draw the straight line through them.
2. **Explanations**:
- Next to the graph, write a short explanation of the gradient:
'The gradient of this graph is 5 km/min, which means the car is traveling at a constant
speed of 5 kilometers every minute.'
- Write what the y-intercept represents:
'The intercept at (0,0) shows that the car started from 0 kilometers at 0 minutes.'
- You can also use colors to highlight important parts of the graph, such as the gradient and
the intercept.
Part 3: In-Class Presentation
During your group’s presentation, here’s how you might explain your findings to the class:
**Introduction**:
'Our group worked on a real-life scenario where a car is traveling on a straight road at a
constant speed. We used a distance-time graph to represent this situation.'
**Step-by-step Explanation**:
'Here is the data we used: we recorded the distance the car traveled every 2 minutes. Then,
we plotted these points on a graph, where time is on the x-axis and distance is on the y-axis.'
'We calculated the **gradient** of the line, which represents the speed of the car. In this
case, the gradient is 5 km/min. This means the car is traveling at a constant speed of 5
kilometers every minute.'
**Conclusion**:
'The intercept at (0,0) shows that the car started from 0 kilometers at time 0. This project
helped us understand how we can use graphs to represent real-life situations like traveling
in a car and how the gradient tells us how fast something is moving.'
**Key Learning**:
'Through this project, we learned that gradients can represent things like speed, and
intercepts can show starting points. We also learned how to plot graphs and understand
what they mean in real life.'
Part 4: Individual Contribution & Understanding (5 Marks)
Teacher will ask each group member questions to assess their individual understanding and
contribution to the project. Based on their answers, Teacher can distribute the marks as
follows:
1. Understanding of Their Task
- Does the student understand the part of the project they worked on (e.g., plotting the
graph, calculating the gradient, etc.)?
2. Reflection on Group Collaboration
- Can the student explain how they collaborated with other group members and what their
contribution was to the group?
3. Problem Solving and Challenges
- Did the student identify any challenges during the project and explain how they solved
them, either individually or as a group?
Marking Scheme for This Example
Part 1: Working on Real-Life Graphs (12 Marks)
- Correctly plotted the graph (4 marks)
- Accurately calculated the gradient and explained it (4 marks)
- Identified and explained the intercept (4 marks)
Part 2: Art Paper Presentation (09 Marks)
- Neatness and clarity of the graph (4 marks)
- Creativity and presentation (3 marks)
- Quality of explanations (2 marks)
Part 3: In-Class Presentation (4 Marks)
- Clear explanation of the graph and findings (2 marks)
- Participation and engagement from all group members (2 marks)
Part 4: Individual Contribution & Understanding (5 Marks)
You will ask each group member questions to assess their individual understanding and
contribution to the project. Based on their answers, you can distribute the marks as follows:
1. Understanding of Their Task (2 Marks)
- Does the student understand the part of the project they worked on (e.g., plotting the
graph, calculating the gradient, etc.)?
2. Reflection on Group Collaboration (2 Marks)
- Can the student explain how they collaborated with other group members and what their
contribution was to the group?
3. Problem Solving and Challenges (1 Mark)
- Did the student identify any challenges during the project and explain how they solved
them, either individually or as a group?
