This
is a beta 1.3 version of the RangeGames program, and you are invited
to participate in the beta testing. If you find errors in the program or
would like to suggest improvements, please send an e-mail to benson@grc.nasa.gov.
RangeGames
With this software you
must solve problems involved with determining an aircraft's motion
and performance.
If you are an experienced user of RangeGames,
or if you plan to use your browser Print command to save output,
or if you are using Internet Explorer, it is recommended that you use a slightly different
version of RangeGames .
This altered version does not include the following tutorial.
If you see only a grey box at the top of this page, be sure that Java is
enabled in your browser. If Java is enabled, and you are using the Windows XP
operating system, you need to get a newer version of Java. Go to this link:
http://www.java.com/en/index.jsp,
try the "Download It Now" button, and then select "Yes" when the download box from Sun
pops up.
SCREEN
The program screen
is divided into four main parts:
At the top
of the screen you will see an animation of an airplane. There are four
aircraft from which to choose: an executive jet powered by two simple
turbojet engines, a fighter plane powered
by two afterburning turbojets, an airliner
powered by four high bypass turbofan engines,
and a hypersonic missile powered by a single ramjet
engine.
The left side
of the screen presents problems for you to solve. The problems involve
either the aircraft range, weight,
or the motion of the aircraft as predicted by Newton's
Second Law of motion. The problems are presented to you as word
problems. The blue buttons in the middle of the left screen are used
to set problem type, the difficulty level, and to set new problem conditions.
The white choice buttons on the left are used to determine the program
mode, the answer type, and the units. (See the explanation given
below.)
Below the airplane
animation on the right side of the screen are some gauges and
text boxes that describe the flight and engine conditions. You will
need this information to answer the questions that are presented to
you on the left side of the screen. You can answer the problems either
by typing in an answer or by clicking on a multiple choice button. You
can change your answer as often as you want; when you think you have
the final answer, press the red "Submit Answer" button to send
the information to the computer.
At the bottom
of the screen, if you choose Learn or Exam Mode, the program
will store and display the questions and your answers. This screen keeps
track of the numbers of right and wrong answers, allowing you to look
for trends and determine a need for additional help with certain problems.
OPTIONS: Aircraft
Type, Problem Type, Answer Type, Program Mode, Units
When you select
an Aircraft, you will notice that the fighter plane can
travel very fast but not very far, while the airliner can travel a long
distance but not very fast.
The blue buttons
allow you to select a New problem, the difficulty of the problem,
either Easy or Hard, the Problem Type, and the
Specific Problem at the top of the text box. There are three
problem types: Range, Weight. and Motion.
The
range problems involve solving a rate equation (rate X time = distance).
The
weight problems involve determining the mass of the aircraft from
the presented weight.
The motion
problems involve solving for acceleration, velocity, distance, or
time when given the weight of the aircraft and the thrust of the
engines. (In this group of problems, assume that drag is zero and
that thrust and weight are constant. This will, however, give some
very unrealistic answers since drag itself changes with the velocity
squared).
For some problems,
you may have to perform several intermediate calculations to get the
final answer. Use a calculator if necessary. If the Easy problem
type is chosen, the program will provide you with intermediate information
in the statement of the problem. If the Hard problem type is
selected, you must perform all calculations. The equations needed
to solve the problems are given on summary slides for range
, weight, and motion (Newton's
Second Law). The hypersonic missile problems are particularly
difficult because the missile is in motion when the additional thrust
is applied. Be very careful with the requested units; some information
is given in miles per hour, but the requested output is in feet per
second.
For the Answer
type, you can choose Multiple Choice or Type-ins.
If
you select Multiple Choice answers, the computer will give
you hints about incorrect answers. If you multiplied when
you should have divided, the program will note a "Probable
Math Error." If you used the wrong variables to solve the equation,
the program will note a "Probable Input Error." You and your
teacher can use this information to identify areas for additional
work. If you select Multiple Choice answers, you can change
your answer until you press the "Submit Answer" button. If
you get the right answer you will see a blue arrow ----->
next to your choice. If the answer is incorrect, a red X
will appear. When you get the right answer, you must push the "New"
problem button to start another problem. Or you can use the blue
buttons to select a different type of question altogether.
If you select
Type-ins, simply key in your answer in the space provided
and press the "Submit Answer" button. You will be told if
you are right or wrong and given a hint for solving the problem.
Program Mode
allows three choices: Play,Learn, or Exam Mode.
In Play Mode, none of your answers are recorded at the bottom
of the screen, and you get three tries to answer any question. In Learn
Mode, your answers are recorded and you get three tries. In Exam
Mode, your answers are recorded and you get only one try on each
question.
The problems can
be presented to you in either metric or English Units.