Resources

Modeling Scenario

6-008-PursuitModels-Modeling Scenario

Author(s): Brian Winkel

SIMIODE - Systemic Initiative for Modeling Investigations and Opportunities with Differential Equations

Keywords:

159 total view(s), 190 download(s)

Abstract

Resource Image Students are prompted to build systems of nonlinear differential equations to model pursuit-evader activities in which a pursuer attempts to follow, perhaps track down and come close to, an evader without knowledge of the evader's intentions, just knowled

Citation

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

Article Context

Description

You are a driver for a National Geographic photographer on the Serengeti Plain. The photographer is gathering footage for a TV special on the cheetahs in the area. She wants to shoot footage of the cheetah chasing its prey. The real chase, as far as the driver is concerned, is getting close to the cheetah and keeping close. The prey of the cheetah is zigging and zagging and, as such, the cheetah is taking an unpredictable path so the driver needs a strategy to get close and stay close.

Johnny, your ex-best friend in third grade snatched your lunch box (containing the bag of cookies your Mom made!) and he is running about the school yard, humiliating you. You want to catch him in the worst way. You know he can run about the same speed as you. What strategy do you employ to chase him down? It is a huge school yard with flat open fields beyond.

Your soccer team is losing 2-1. In an end-of-game time kill situation, your opponents' best skilled player on the soccer team is on the field, handling the ball very nicely. You are determined to run him down and begin pursuing him. What is your strategy?

You are a wolf in open tundra and the pack has retired, but you are determined to bring home the kill. You see a small deer and it sees you. Like a flash the deer starts running, seemingly in a random path. What strategy do you use to track the deer down before you get exhausted from the chase?

You are driving a tank in dessert warfare and have isolated the enemy's command tank. You set out to chase down this special tank. What is your strategy?

Article Files

Authors

Author(s): Brian Winkel

SIMIODE - Systemic Initiative for Modeling Investigations and Opportunities with Differential Equations

Comments

Comments

There are no comments on this resource.