Swinging Away… (in motion)
This photo here shows a boy on a swing. Pretty simple right? But it’s not… Some say the credit is owed to the Minoan people but most likely to the English engineer, Charles Wicksteed who invented the modern-day swing in the early 1900s. But even later artefacts have been found to date back to 1450BC!
The maths behind the swing is all to do with gravity and the momentum and many other things to do with motion and so on. Even the making of the swing is to do with maths! The chains and hooks which are used to suspend the seats from the floor interlock each other to create a sturdy suspension to ensure its safe for use.
There’s so much maths in everything it’s all about taking the time to see it!
— Alyssia Rowing (S2)