Accelerating twice

What type of function (ignoring constants and lower degree terms) describes the position (in terms of time t t ) of a car whose gas pedal is pushed down with a constant acceleration?

Details and Assunptions

  • The acceleration of the car is proportional to the position of the gas pedal.
t 5 t^5 t 2 t^2 2 t 2^t t 4 t^4 e t e^t 3 t 3^t t 3 t^3

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2 solutions

Parth Sankhe
Nov 13, 2018

a c = k x p a_c = kx_p , where a c a_c is acceleration of the car, k is a constant, and x p x_p is position of the pedal.

d 2 a d t 2 = k a p = c o n s t a n t \therefore \frac {d^2a}{dt^2}=ka_p=constant

d a d t \frac {da}{dt} α \alpha t t

a a α \alpha t 2 t^2

v v α \alpha t 3 t^3

x c \therefore x_c α \alpha t 4 t^4

(Constants of integration are neglected here, as given in the question.)

Henry U
Nov 13, 2018

As stated in the question, all constants can be ignored, so let's assume a p e d a l = 1 a_{pedal} = 1 and ignore constants of integration. We will use Big O Notation

a p e d a l = 1 a_{pedal} = 1

v p e d a l = a p e d a l d t = 1 d t = t v_{pedal} = \int a_{pedal} \, dt = \int 1 \, dt = t

x p e d a l = v p e d a l d t = t d t = 1 2 t 2 = O ( t 2 ) x_{pedal} = \int v_{pedal} \, dt = \int t \, dt = \frac 12 t^2 = O(t^2)

x p e d a l = a c a r = O ( t 2 ) x_{pedal} = a_{car} = O(t^2)

v c a r = a c a r d t = t 2 d t = 1 3 t 3 = O ( t 3 ) v_{car} = \int a_{car} \, dt = \int t^2 \, dt = \frac 13 t^3 = O(t^3)

x c a r = v c a r d t = t 3 d t = 1 4 t 4 = O ( t 4 ) x_{car} = \int v_{car} \, dt = \int t^3 \, dt = \frac 14 t^4 = \boxed{O(t^4)}

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