# I Help Required for Projectile Motion Equation

1. Mar 13, 2016

i was reading a golf simulator forum. i am actually interested in writing a code and make graphs to see how trajectory path looks like.

For any given time (t) the distance traveled (x component) is

x(t) = (Vo cosm)t
and the height (y component) at any given time (t) is

y(t) = (Vo sinm)) - (gtÂ²)/2

I mentioned the equation above but i can't figure out what is A with cap sign in this equation. Please i desperately need an answer on that. hope some one can take away my curosity on this. as i have to start working on it and make code ready ASAP. any help would be appreciated.

2. Mar 13, 2016

### nasu

3. Mar 13, 2016

it's not a typeo, i have looked many equations in this format, i'll post the link maybe it will help from where i get it.

here it is

http://www.golf-simulators.com/physics.htm

4. Mar 13, 2016

### nasu

Can you show another place where the equations have this character?
And have looked the Wikipedia link? Can you see there the equation in the correct format?

From that page that linked to it seems that this A with a hat may be intended to be a superscript format code which showed up in a funny way.
The last term in the equation should be just $1/2 gt^2$.
And when they talk about air density, is probably at $60^o$ but it shows again this symbol, between 60 and the superscript "o".

5. Mar 13, 2016

you are right unfortunately i can't show this symbol at any other place also. that's why it's confusing me too that why would they put that symbol there

6. Mar 13, 2016

### sophiecentaur

You should put parentheses around the 1/2 to keep the rest on top of the equation. I am being picky in view of the context of the question and BODMAS still rules.

7. Mar 13, 2016

8. Mar 13, 2016

### sophiecentaur

I wouldn't worry about it there must be something wrong with your book - probably bad proof reading. Those two formulae are so common in the literature that you will easily find 'correct' versions with all the symbols explained. Look at the Hyperpyhysics pages on trajectories. The two formulae you quote must be describing the simplest case because the x(t) equation only includes one term.

9. Mar 13, 2016

### SteamKing

Staff Emeritus
If you look at the page on golf simulation, you'll see the funny A-cap scattered about the page, sometimes next to an exponent, sometimes next to a degree symbol.
IMO, there's something funny going on with the math formatting on this page. The A-cap can be ignored, but make sure you can read any exponents it might be next to.

10. Mar 13, 2016

Thanks a lot. i got it.

11. Mar 13, 2016