The Mathematics of Evan Glazer

Everything I've ever learned, I've learned from Star Wars u Pay your debts on time, you can't always kill the bill collector. u No matter how deeply one falls into darkness, there is always hope for redemption. u Always let a Wookie win. u "Try not. Do or do not. There is no try."

Everything I've ever learned, I've learned from Star Wars u There isn't always time to discuss things in a committee. u Never judge anything by its size. u Beware of judging someone else's beliefs as just a "hokey religion." You just may end up eating those words. u Always check the background of people you want to get intimately involved with, they may be your relatives.

The Mathematics of Star Wars u The Impact and Influence of Star Wars u Mathematics in the four Star Wars movies from arithmetic to precalculus u A “preview” of the next Star Wars movie, Episode II

“Star Wars does more for the civilized development of the human race than any other piece of art in the world. Star Wars has a profound effect on children in their evolution, their vision, in their imagination.”

Luke Skywalker “…was my beacon of hope during a troubled adolescence. He taught me that I could overcome adversity and create the meaningful, challenging life I yearned for if I persevered with courage and faith.”

Han Solo “I have come to lean, through him, that in life’s little games, it is best to remain relaxed and confident.” “He has the right looks to make any woman wish they were Princess Leia.”

Princess Leia “…if it weren’t for Leia, Xena would be unemployed, Janeway would be fetching coffee for Captain Kirk in a micromini skirt, and Scully’s job would be waiting for Mulder to rescue her every week.”

Jabba the Hutt “He’s lazy, sits around all day, hires people to do his dirty work, has all the entertainment he wants, and he’s rich. Jabba is living the American dream.” NOTE THAT JABBA DOES NOT SURVIVE!

Find the missing values in the table at the right that belong in each box. Boba Fett

Find the missing values in the table at the right that belong in each box. Boba Fett

Find the missing values in the table at the right that belong in each box. Boba Fett

Find the missing values in the table at the right that belong in each box. Boba Fett

Find the missing values in the table at the right that belong in each box. Boba Fett

R2D2 is 94 cm tall. How tall is Chewbacca? A. about 120 cm B. about 190 cm C. about 230 cm D. As tall as a Tyrannosaurus

Solution We can measure the heights of the characters with a ruler, and then set up a ratio to find the missing height. Paper Actual 24.8cm = c cm Chewie 10.2 cm 94 cm R2D2 c= cm

What is the approximate average speed of the Millennium Falcon during its escape from the second Death Star? The diameter of the second Death Star is 800 km and it took the ship 37 seconds to escape.

A. As fast as a speeding bullet B. As fast as a jet plane C. 40,000 km/hr D. 3 x 10^8 m/sec

Solution The ship flies out of the center of the death star, traveling a distance of 400 km in 37 seconds. This means that the ship traveled at an average rate of 400 km * 60 sec * 60 min = 38,919 km 37 sec 1 min 1 hr hr

How high off the ground is the hangar bay? Assume that the acceleration due to gravity on Naboo is the same as Earth (-9.8 m/sec 2 ).

Approximately: A. 100 m B m C. 10,000 m D. As high as a class of 100 students standing on each others’ heads.

Solution The ship does not have any initial velocity,vo, in the vertical direction when it gets hit. The equation h = h o + v o t + -1/2gt 2 can be used to predict the initial height (of the hangar), h o. Since vo = 0, the equation simplifies to h = h o + -1/2gt 2 The ship takes t = 6 seconds to reach the ground where h = 0. Substituting this information and g = -9.8 m/s 2 into the equation, you will find that h o = m, about 100 times the length of a student.

How many chairs are in the senate council? A. About 2500 B. About 1000 C. About 250 D. About 25

Solution There are 11 chairs within 79 degrees of a circle. Therefore, each circle has 360/79 * 11 = 50 chairs There are 20 concentric circles, each with 50 chairs. Total number of chairs: = 50 * 20 = 1000

Bonus: What famous aliens occupy a seat in the senate? A. E.T. B. Close Encounters C. Aliens D. Superman

Bonus: What famous aliens occupy a seat in the senate? A. E.T. B. Close Encounters C. Aliens D. Superman

Worldwide Top Grossing Films

SHOW ME THE MONEY! u An estimated 2 million people skipped their work to watch opening day of Episode I, resulting in a $300 million loss in business that day. u Episode I merchandise sales exceeded over $2 billion. u Episode I promotional advertisement campaigns exceeded $2 billion.

In what year will Star Wars be ranked 1st for the highest gross, adjusted for inflation? A. Some time later this year B. Around 2005 C. Around 2036 D. Never, unless it is released in the movie theaters again

In what year will Star Wars be ranked 1st for the highest gross, adjusted for inflation? A. Some time later this year B. Around 2005 C. Around 2036 D. Never, unless it is released in the movie theaters again

Top Ten Reasons Why Star Wars is Better than Titanic u Star Wars has way cooler action figure potential. u Titanic’s big, but it didn’t have hyperdrive! u Yoda could use the Force to lift the Titanic out of the water.

Top Ten Reasons Why Star Wars is Better than Titanic u Titanic is egalitarian by portraying poor people as sympathetic characters. Star Wars is egalitarian by promoting bug-eyed amphibians to admiral. u Said bug-eyed amphibious admiral manages NOT to lose his ship. u Han Solo would have missed the dang iceberg!

Top Ten Reasons Why Star Wars is Better than Titanic u There are always enough escape pods in Star Wars u Leia is a princess, a senator, a freedom fighter, and Jedi material; Rose is just marriage bait. u Han is frozen in carbonite and turned into a wall ornament. Leo simply freezes.

Top Ten Reasons Why Star Wars is Better than Titanic u Rose braves icy water to rescue her man. Leia braves Jabba the Hut. u We knew the boat was gonna sink. But who could’ve anticipated “Luke….I am your father.” ???

DARTH TRIVIA When filming The Empire Strikes Back, speculation about a leak amongst cast and crew centered on David Prowse [Darth Vader], who was not too pleased that James Earl Jones spoke his part in Star Wars (Jones was only paid $7000 for the part). Instead of “I am your father,” Prowse was given the line Obi-Wan Kenobi is your father.”

Breathing Patterns “Lightsaber” Intensity

R2D2 is standing 6 meters vertically higher than and 8 meters horizontally away from Luke Skywalker. At what angle of elevation did R2D2 release the light saber in order to reach Luke Skywalker? Assume that the acceleration due to gravity on Tatooine is the same as on Earth (-9.8 m/sec 2 ). A. 30 degrees B. 70 degrees C. 85 degrees D. 375 degrees

R2D2 is standing 6 meters vertically higher than and 8 meters horizontally away from Luke Skywalker. At what angle of elevation did R2D2 release the light saber in order to reach Luke Skywalker? Assume that the acceleration due to gravity on Tatooine is the same as on Earth (-9.8 m/sec 2 ). A. 30 degrees B. 70 degrees C. 85 degrees D. 375 degrees

Solution Two parametric functions can describe the motion of the lightsaber. Y = h o + v o *sinw*t - 4.9t 2 and X = v o *cosw*t Where X = horizontal distance, Y = vertical distance, v o = initial velocity, w = angle of elevation, t = time, and h o = initial height

Substitute X = 8 m, t = 4.4 sec, h o = 6 m, and Y = 0 m into both of the equations. 0 = 20 + v o sinw(4.4) - 4.9(4.4) 2 and 25 = v o cosw(4.4) Write each equation in terms of vosinw and vocosw in order to cancel v o. v o sinw/v o cosw = /5.682 = tanw = w = tan -1 (13.176) = 85.7 degrees

Suppose mitichlorian counts are approximately normally distributed among a population with a standard deviation of 3000 mitichlorians. Everyone in the population has some mitichlorians in their bodies, but just at different amounts. If Anakin’s mitichlorian count of over 20,000 is “off the chart,” then what is a reasonable mean mitichlorian count in the population?

Suppose mitichlorian counts are approximately normally distributed among a population with a standard deviation of 3000 mitichlorians. Everyone in the population has some mitichlorians in their bodies, but just at different amounts. If Anakin’s mitichlorian count of over 20,000 is “off the chart,” then what is a reasonable mean mitichlorian count in the population? A. 0 B C D

Solution In a normal distribution, 99% of the data are within three standard deviations from the mean. “Off the chart” probably implies that Anakin’s mitichlorian count is greater than three standard deviations from the mean. The mean must be less than 20, (3000) = 11,000 but greater than 9,000, because everyone has at least some mitichlorians in their bodies -> 10,000.

If Yoda uses the transitive property, how should he conclude his chain reasoning to Anakin if his message is: “Fear is the path to the dark side.” A. Do or do not, there is no try. B. Suffering leads to the dark side. C. Fear leads to dropping calculus. D. Anger leads to the dark side.

If Yoda uses the transitive property, how should he conclude his chain reasoning to Anakin if his message is: “Fear is the path to the dark side.” A. Do or do not, there is no try. B. Suffering leads to the dark side. C. Fear leads to dropping calculus. D. Anger leads to the dark side.

Solution: Fear -> Anger Anger -> Hate Hate -> Suffering ???? -> ???? Conclusion: Fear -> Dark side Therefore, Suffering -> Dark side is necessary to complete the chain reasoning.

In your classroom and with your students, MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!

The Mathematics of Evan Glazer