Table of Contents Unit 1- Understand the Problem Unit 2- Gather Information Unit 3-Develop Solutions Unit 4-Implement a Solution Unit 5-Test and Evaluate Unit 6-Redesign and Communicate

What are Land Speed Record Vehicles? Land Speed Record Vehicles are fast. In fact, they are like rockets on wheels. Land Speed Record Vehicles are raced where it’s flat for long stretches, like in the desert or on a dry lake bed.

You have just been hired as a research and development engineer at Racer Designs, Inc. Racer Designs is a small company known for testing the limits of race car design. At Racer Designs, research and development follows a standard process. First prototype, or model, cars are designed, or planned, and built. Then they are tested and evaluated. If a prototype car performs well, a full-size car is built from the design or plan. Building a full-size car is very expensive. Before driving the full-size car in a race, it is also tested and evaluated. Your goal is to develop a prototype race car. The design should consider aerodynamic concepts, such as drag, weight, and friction.

Most projects start with specifications. Specifications, or “specs”, are a list of the required elements and features for a design. Specs identify the criteria, or conditions, and restrictions for the design.

DO: Get the race car specifications form. (1-2) DO: Notice the columns to check that your design meets the specifications. DO: Review the specifications. You will fill out the Specs Form at a later date. Right now I would just like you to review the sheet with your partner.

Your goal is to develop a prototype race car. The design should consider aerodynamic concepts, such as drag, weight, and friction. Specifications are a list of required elements and features, the criteria, or conditions, and restrictions for the design. The steps in the technological problem solving method serve as the guide for this project.

When you are working on the Race Car Design Project, you can use the technological problem solving method. This method is a process for solving a challenge.

You will use a technological problem solving method to design a prototype race car. Sometimes you may need to revisit activities that you have already done. For examples, you may need to gather more information before you can test your solution.

When solving a problem, a checklist is an easy way to keep track of your work. A checklist is a way to break a project into a series of tasks. A checklist can help to put tasks in an order to be done. You will use a checklist to work on this project. You can take notes about your progress at the end of each class on the checklist. You will also date tasks when you complete them.

DO: Get the race car design checklist. (1-3) DO: Write today’s date in the box next to Activity 1: Understand the Problem

The technological problem solving method is a process for solving a challenge. It involves several steps: understand the problem, gather information, develop solutions, implement a solution, test and evaluate, and redesign and communicate the solution. A checklist is a way to break a project into a series of tasks that need to be completed. A checklist can help to put tasks in order to be done. Congratulations! You have completed Unit One- Understand the Problem. You will now move onto Unit 2. The power point is titled “Unit 2 – Gather Information”.