Electronic Proceedings of the Twenty-third Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics

Denver, Colorado, March 17-20, 2011

Paper C018

This is an electronic reprint, reproduced by permission of Pearson Education Inc. Originally appeared in the Proceedings of the Twenty-third Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics, ISBN 0-321-68984-4, Copyright (C) 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.


Use of Maple and Calculus Concepts to Solve an Optimization Problem in a Physical Phenomenon

Somasundaram Velummylum


Claflin University

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ABSTRACT

The rainbow is one natural phenomenon whose formation depends on factors including angles of deflection, incidence and refraction. The Derivative Test, Properties of light and Maple will be applied to derive the minimal angle of deflection which is an important characteristic in visualizing the rainbow.

Keyword(s): calculus, Maple, applications