How do you create an equation or mathematical model from a coordinate table?
Asked by
invic (
110
)
November 4th, 2009
Ive been trying to figure this out for days now and still cant get it, and yes its homework but my teachers been sick and its been a pain doing this solo. the table consists of the following; x-coordinates: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. The y-coordinates: 57.9, 108.2, 149.6, 227.9, T, 778.3, 1249, 2871, 4504, 5914. Now the Y-coordinates are the avg orbital radius in mill of km, the problem is that each X-coordinate is a planet from the sun in order starting with Mercury and ending with Pluto. So how would i be able to find an equation for this? I don’t need the answer at all but just how to get there, just graphing it and getting a rough slope line didn’t work, unless i did it wrong XD (ugh). Would i need to consider other things besides the given stats? (Ugh… Math and Science shouldnt collide as much as it does)
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7 Answers
When ever it comes to math I always divide by two and take an aspirin. Good luck.
It’s not clear what you’re supposed to be plotting. Is it a path for each planet assuming a circular orbit? Is it learning how to write equations that define discrete points? It really depends on what class you’re in and the point of the assignment.
What model are you using? Line? Parabola? Exponential? I would graph the data to see what type of curve looks like it might be best. I’m guessing exponential. If that’s the case, try graphing the data with the x values vs the logs of the y values, and see if you can fit a straight line to it. How exact does this need to be?
I agree with @finkelitis—I would need to know what kind of graph you’re supposed to end up with before even beginning to help you. (It would also help if you told us what level math you are at.)
Also, what’s the title of your unit or chapter? That would be very helpful.
try to compute the graph with Wolfram Alpha http://www.wolframalpha.com/
it doesn’t seem to be a relation between the number of the planet from sun and the avg orbital radius.
And what’s with that T at y-values?
I agree with the above, the question is not clear from what you describe. What are you supposed to come up with, exactly?
Sorry for the lack of clarity< the T is an asteroid which its orbit is to be found, and it made a swoosh… Like… A curve there we go. and also, by using Logger Pro and ahahah and by trying out some buttons COUGH curve fit COUGH found it ahahaha, but truly i thank you all for your responses. With that im using a power formula model and got it figured out…. so far… Thank you once again.
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