There are two separate equations here, one is the slope of the mountain, which is a function of x and a value of y and one is the path of the sled, which is a function of t, with a value of (x,y)

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John2022 3 days ago | parent [-]

But nowhere (at least in the first couple of levels) does it refer to the slope of the mountain - it says the task is to find "the path of the sled".

But even ignoring that, nowhere does it define the relationship between t and x. What I assume they mean but don't say is that x=t. That's arbitrary.

Also I assume you mean the path of the sled is (t, f(t)) where f is the function defining the slope. If the path of the sled had a value of (x,y) it would be stationary :)

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dylan604 3 days ago | parent [-]

Seeing how the shape of the mountain IS the path of the sled, how does changing the shape of the mountain NOT change the path for you?

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Nevermark 3 days ago | parent [-]

The path is flat by default, and mostly flat by initial expression. So it might not strike someone that the shape of the path is a mountain shape.

Perhaps "the shape of a path down a mountain" would make everyone happy.

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dylan604 3 days ago | parent [-]

the first example shows multiple curves in the path. Did not press past that as it was obvious to me what the game was going to be and I didn't have time to play games. If there is something after that starting with a flat plane, how did one get there and not see the curved example?

	▲	John2022 2 days ago \| parent [-]
		I understand the confusion now. What they mean is that you're determining the shape of the mountain top using an equation, and then the skier is skiing along that mountain top according to gravity. But they don't say that. Instead they say the task is to set path of skier - i.e. how the skier goes down the mountain. But that's not correct - the skier obviously doesn't need to just follow the mountain top. Common sense/reality is the opposite - you rarely just follow a mountain top. If they'd just said the above, and I think not shown the value of t, it would have been a lot clearer, at least to me. If in later levels they show formula(s) using gravity, and perhaps show the skier on different planets, with different values of G, then I can see the value in showing the value of t. But as it is, I think it's confusing.