Condoleezza and the Watermelon (College math exam uses Rice with racial stereotype)

Email from Dr. Wayne Perryman ^ | 4/11/06 | Dr. Wayne Perryman

[JulieRNR21]

From: Rev. Wayne Perryman DoubleBro@aol.com

Dear Friends

The following sample math problem was given to students as part of their final exam at Bellevue Community College in Washington State. I was asked by black students to represent them in this matter. Some of these students attend my church.

I am asking all of you and your friends to e-mail the school at the following e-mail addresses and express your outrage:

Advising@bcc.ctc.edu, tpritcha@bcc.ctc.edu, and amatsumo@bcc.ctc.edu.

The following is the math problem given to the students.

The Problem: Condoleezza holds a watermelon just over the edge of the roof of the 300 -foot Federal Building, and tosses it up with a velocity of 20 feet per second. The height of the watermelon above the ground t seconds later is given by formula h= -16t2 + 20t + 300

a. How many seconds will it pass her (she's standing at a height of 300 feet) on the way down?

b. When will the watermelon hit ground?

If they used this same problems and substituted Condoleezza's name with Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, there would be mass protest and they would shut the college down. Because it was Condoleezza Rice, they wanted to ignore it until I showed up today.

Please e-mail the college and express your outrage and your support of having me at the table to resolve this issue. I am demanding that the college to do several things to correct the problem.

This is serious. Please do not let me down, I want thousands of e-mails to come from all across the country. A CBS affiliate, KIRO TV did cover this story.

Rev. Wayne Perryman P.O. Box 256 Mercer Island, WA 98040

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

Astonishing.

[kenavi]

"The height of the watermelon above the ground t seconds later is given by formula h= -16t2 + 20t + 300"

a) I didn't understand why the formula has -16 and not -32 as the coefficient, since 32 feet a second is the rate of the fall. Substituting your answer of 5.16 seconds into the equation yields a height of -26 feet, not zero feet.

b) I question both your approach and the formula's that assumes that there is a constant counter-force of 20 feet per second to offset gravity. At the point that the force of gravity exceeds the force of the initial toss, wouldn't the object descend at the same speed as an object dropped from a dead start?

This is very interesting logically. Another reason I posted is that I question the authenticity of this thread. If the formula given from the alleged test is itself flawed, that is a reason to doubt that this test question really existed. (And if the question didn't exist, do I?)

[DonnerT]

I asked Condi about this and her reply was: "That is rediculous. I would never throw a perfectly good watermelon off the top of a 300ft. building. The rind maybe but the whole melon? Never!"

[RHINO369]

It says a math class not a physics class, its probably an advanced algerbra course or something like that.

"
b) I question both your approach and the formula's that assumes that there is a constant counter-force of 20 feet per second to offset gravity. At the point that the force of gravity exceeds the force of the initial toss, wouldn't the object descend at the same speed as an object dropped from a dead start?"

that 20t isn't a force its accounting for the initial 20 ft/s (or whatever units they used) going up.

A good equation for distance and one dimensional motion with constant accleration is d= d0 + vot + 1/2at^2
where d0 is the original distance, vo is the initial velocity, and a is the acceleration. They never said what planet Condi was on so i guess gravity was 16ft/s^2

[Hoodat]

Could you explain your answer?

Sure. The equation provided is the position function with the ground being zero:

x = -16t^2 + 20t + 300
At t=0, the object is 300 ft above the surface ground.

Taking the derivative of the position function yields the velocity function as follows:

dx/dt = v = -32t + 20
Again, at t=0, the velocity is 20 ft/s in the upward direction.

Taking the derivative of the velocity function yields the acceleration function:

dv/dt = a = 32 ft/s^2.
This is the acceleration of gravity. It is constant and independent of time.

If I am correct in that, then your answer of "1.25 seconds" presumes that the object descends at the same speed with which it ascended, but that can't be right.

It is most certainly right. Acceleration is constant. The object will pass the building top at exactly the same velocity (downward) as it was initially thrown upward. To find the time at which this will occur, simply plug in '300' for x in the position equation, which is the height of the building top relative to the ground surface. This simplifies to this equation:

-16t^2+20t=0 OR -t(16t-20)=0 OR t=1.25

Also, if you calculate that it takes 1.25 seconds for object to ascend and then return to its starting point (300 ft. up), then that would leave only 3.75 seconds for it to go from 300 feet to hit the ground

Remember that when it reaches the original point, it is already traveling at 20 ft/s downward. When it hits the ground 3.75 seconds later, it will be traveling at 140 ft/s.

Going back to the original position function, set it equal to zero and solve for t:

16t^2 - 20t - 300 = 0 OR (t+3.75)(t-5)=0

Since t>0, t=5. Simple physics.

[LK44-40]

I asked Condi about this and her reply was: "That is rediculous. I would never throw a perfectly good watermelon off the top of a 300ft. building. The rind maybe but the whole melon? Never!"

I am tempted to suggest that if she had been eating fried chicken for the main course, the watermelon might have slipped out of her hand. BUT, that would not explain it because our Condi is such an elegant lady that she could eat fried chicken ~without~ getting her hands greasy!

(I think it is okay to chuckle a little with an admiring and affectionate attitude toward Dr. Rice among those of us who greatly admire her and are enjoying friendly chat. It is something else entirely for someone to make this kind of joke -- prehaps snidely -- in a classroom.)

[section9]

Uncultured swine! Don't you remember that our Condi doesn't go anywhere near fried chicken or other greasy foods? Rather, she dines on fish, chicken, vegetables, and other high protien, low fat foods designed specifically to assist her in maintaining her toned, well-muscled chassis.

After all, you never know when you'll be called on to throw a watermelon 20 feet in the air from the top of a 300 foot tall Federal Building.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Windcatcher]

Quite honestly, I never would have known that the association with watermelons was considered racist. When I was a kid, my grandfather would always go to the produce market in Manhattan and buy us all a watermelon in the summer. We had watermelon every chance we got -- and we're Greek. I thought everyone like watermelons -- or were we the only weird ones in New York?

[popdonnelly]

The racial slur was obviously intentional and very, very stupid. This should be broadcast everywhere. Why let these people off the hook? Because their cutesy little leftists?

[proudpapa]

I believe you forgot to factor in the rain. After all, this is Bellevue-Seattle.

[JulieRNR21]

I know nothing about the curriculum of this Community College.

[JulieRNR21]

I agree.....and for a start....you can send your comments here:


Advising@bcc.ctc.edu,
tpritcha@bcc.ctc.edu,
amatsumo@bcc.ctc.edu

[staytrue]

The weight of the watermellon is not specified and is not relevant. It could be a very small watermellon.

[Northern Yankee]

Ya got me!

Good one!

[Northern Yankee]

Remember when someone mentioned Tiger Woods and fried chicken in the same sentence?

Yep!

[SueRae]

Thank you for the ping..

How DARE they? It is a sad statement on what constitues education these days. I am disgusted and incredulous with regard to the double standard on racism.

[normy]

I for one refuse to give fried chicken and watermelon over as a "culturally black food". I love both of them. Maybe when a number of souther blacks moved north the Southern foods became associated with them by white Northerners and then became a stereotype. Watermelon and fried chicken are just good summer picnic foods.

[normy]

Because their cutesy little leftists?

Great description. If you simply substitute Condeleeza with Jamaal or Rufus then these guys would have all hell break loose on them.

[Quix]

Sure.

Thanks.

Hideous.

[Teacher317]

and I thought I was the only nerd who was more interested in answering the question! =^)