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[REFER TO VFHILLNAV AND VFGRADIENT ACTIVITIES FOR FILLING OUT THIS GUIDE, AS WELL AS THESE VIDEOS ON THE NAS: vf13102303main, vf16100713mpt2]
Gradient with Surfaces: Instructor's Guide
Main Ideas
- Experimentally calculating the gradient
- Visualizing the geometric relationship between the gradient and a scalar field
- Clarification of how gradients look in two and three dimensions.
Students' Task
Estimated Time: 5 - 10 minutes
Prerequisite Knowledge
- Students should be familiar with vectors and with differential calculus.
- A rudimentary understanding how a gradient acts on a scalar field.
Props/Equipment
- Tabletop Whiteboard with markers
- A surface and its corresponding contour map for each group
- A handout for each student