Illustrative Mathematics: F if Model Airplane Acrobatics

In this task, a model airplane pilot is practicing flying her airplane in a big loop for an upcoming competition. The task could serve as an introduction to periodic functions and as a lead-in to sinusoidal functions. By visualizing the height of a plane that is moving along the circumference of a circle several times, students get the idea that output values of the height functions will repeat themselves after each complete revolution. They also connect the situation with key features on the graph. Aligns with F-IF.B.4.