Motivating Calculus Through a Single Question

Abstract

The Corvette Problem is a nonroutine investigation, one that provides an authentic context to explore many interrelated calculus ideas. In our years of sharing this problem with students and colleagues, we have found additional topics from the calculus curriculum to have rich interpretations in this environment. The Corvette Problem contextualizes much of the material in first-semester undergraduate calculus by way of unifying theorems and definitions into a powerful mosaic of ideas.