Catholic Social Teaching

Linear Approximations and GPS Project

Calculus Project 2

Hannah Bursic, Luke Johnson, Yorich Poole, Adam Webb

Calculus 1 SMA 130-01
March 27, 2017

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I. Introduction and Background:
 The Global Positioning System is a network of satellites that send descriptions of their
locations from outer space back to earth. For GPS to work adequately and efficiently, a satellite
must transmit data with its current position and time as it orbits the earth. The information is
then bounced off several other satellites, and spheres are created. These spheres then intersect
at a point in which a receiver should be found within 30 feet. These transmissions are greatly
affected by a variety of environmental objects and outdated technology.
When determining precise position, a satellite quantitatively counts the amount of time
it takes for a transition to be sent and received. Now if the time that is sent from say your phone
is said to be 00:11:38 and the time the satellite receives the transmission is said to be 00:11:37
we have a large problem, don’t we? Considering that a radio signal sent from Earth to Mars
would take anywhere from 4 minutes to 24 minutes, how far away does this satellite think you
are? Something is either wrong with the technology that is being used or you could be
16,000,000,000 miles from the satellite.
Internal clocks in satellites are extremely important because of how fast they travel
around the earth. Because the faster that something moves, in relation to the speed of light,
time moves slower. Thus, after an extended amount of time in orbit a satellite's internal clock is
behind that of one on the earth's surface. Currently, engineers use approximations in correcting
this time difference which can be accurate. However, this approximation can be vastly
imprecise. The 30-foot radius that is expected can easily turn into 30 yards with a fraction of
second difference in time between the transmission and rendering of data in real time.
Because GPS bounces a signal off of multiple satellites, the determination of receiver
location is rather inaccurate. Quantum mechanics are implemented when determining the
specifics of a receiver location by measuring the distance between the person and a satellite
using time as the primary variable. Unfortunately, satellites in space travel at a different speed
than objects on earth; creating marginal error when using a GPS signal to indicate location. The
signals from each satellite create a graphical overlap with an area enclosed by graphical
functions, determining not an exact location, but an area the width and height of the time-
transcendance error.

II. Calculations for the Preparations for the Error:

 1) f(x) = x2 when a = 2 𝑙𝑖𝑚x2 - 4x + 4
𝑥→2
fI(x) = 2x 𝑙𝑖𝑚4 - 8 + 4
𝑥→2
𝑙𝑖𝑚= 0
𝑥→2

Figure 1. This is the graph of the function f and its derivative and where they intersect at (2,4).

L(x) = a2 = 2a(x - a)
L(x) = 4 + 4(x - 2) 𝑙𝑖𝑚2x - 4
𝑥→2
L(x) = 4x + 4x - 8 𝑙𝑖𝑚4 - 4
𝑥→2
L(x) = 4x - 4 𝑙𝑖𝑚= 0
𝑥→2

e(x) = x2 - 4x - 4
eI(x) = 2x - 4

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Figure 2. This graph shows the graph of the e(x) equation and its derivative to show where the
two of them intersect.

3 3 𝑥 5
2) g(x) = √𝑥 when a = 8 𝑙𝑖𝑚 √𝑥 - 12 - 4
𝑥→8

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 1 3 5
gI(x) = x2/3 𝑙𝑖𝑚2 - -
3 𝑥→8 4 4
𝑙𝑖𝑚= 0
𝑥→8

Figure 3. This is the graph of the function g and it’s derivative and where they intersect at (8,2).

3 1
L(x) = √𝑎 + a2/3(x - a)
3
1
L(x) = 2 + (x - 8) 𝑙𝑖𝑚2x - 4
12 𝑥→8
𝑥 3
L(x) = 2+ - 𝑙𝑖𝑚16 - 4
12 4 𝑥→8
𝑥 5
L(x) = 12
+4 𝑙𝑖𝑚= 12
𝑥→8

3 𝑥 5
e(x) = √𝑥 - 12 - 4
1 1
eI(x) = x2/3 -
3 12

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Figure 4. This graph shows the graph of the e(x) equation and its derivative to show where the
two of them intersect.

𝜋 𝜋
3) h(x) = cos(x) when a = 2
𝑙𝑖𝑚𝜋cos(x) + x -2
𝑥→
2
I 𝜋 𝜋
h (x) = -sin(x) 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝜋0 + -
𝑥→ 2 2
2
𝑙𝑖𝑚𝜋= 0
𝑥→
2

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 𝜋
Figure 5. This is the graph of the function h and its derivative and where they intersect at (0, 2 ).

L(x) = cos(a) - sin(a)(x - a)

𝜋
L(x) = 0 - (x - ) 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝜋-sin(x) + 1
2 𝑥→
2
𝜋
L(x) = 0 - x + 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝜋-1 - 1
2 𝑥→
2
𝜋
L(x) = -x 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝜋= -2
2 𝑥→
2

𝜋
e(x) = cos(x) + x - 2
eI(x) = -sin(x) + 1

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Figure 6. This graph shows the graph of the e(x) equation and its derivative to show where the
two of them intersect.

These equations and graphs show the change in how the data is read by GPS satellites
based on the location of the user on Earth and their relation to the satellite.

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III. Catholic Social Teaching:

Global positioning systems promote community and the common good. With uses that
include aiding farmers in harvesting fields, navigating airplanes, and helping emergency crews
find and rescue those injured or in danger, the common good of the global individual is put first.
Additionally, GPS use fortifies global solidarity. As Catholic social teaching indicates, we are
each other’s keepers, and GPS is a major component in U.S security, military applications, and
natural disaster forecasting. Global solidarity cannot be achieved without creating a true feeling
of safety within the hearts of all individuals.
Needless to say, this provides a major constructive role for government, providing
access to technology that can track citizens for their safety and protection. The government also
can monitor GPS use in financial markets and banking systems to protect individuals from theft
and fraud. Unfortunately, GPS systems have been abused by government systems in the past.
Safety tracking has become a cover for human spying and monitoring through cell phones, wrist
watches, cars, and computers. Human beings demand a right to privacy and personality that is
not upheld when governments do not meet the responsibility of preventing mass-stalking. In
relation to further catholic social teaching, peace cannot be promoted when human rights are
constantly violated; even under good intentions.

IV. Conclusion:

Linear approximations are extremely useful and accurate. They are however not 100%
accurate. The slightest change in data could be anything from multiple points of intersect and or
no intersection points at all. To analyze what that means we could ask a question.
If you were to call Domino's and order a pizza with their GPS location service, instead of
giving them your physical address, would you be upset if they had to ask a neighbor for
directions to your house? Probably not. Now what about if you were in a car crash at night in an
area that you are unfamiliar with? Would you be ok with emergency services stopping and
asking for directions to your location?
There are also applications that have not been tapped for use by GPS. For instance,
imagine a camera that is the size of a hemoglobin that is injected into your bloodstream. This
camera then sends its video to a recording device so that a physician can monitor your body.
This video could then be used to find medical issues, unobtrusively, that otherwise would
require a scope being snaked through your body. Now the physician finds an internal
hemorrhage but does not know exactly where it is. By using a GPS system they could then look
at the time on the video and find the exact location of the camera in your circulatory system.
If the linear approximations of satellite signals can be narrowed and become more
precise measurements, the implications would be tremendous. Rescue teams can more
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efficiently find those in danger, national security measures can be more appropriately enforced,
and vehicular and aerial crashes can be drastically reduced. Despite the seemingly endless
benefits, however, GPS tracking violates the basic human right of privacy. In the minds of
countless individuals, governmental use of GPS is unethical. Emotional discomfort is often a
constituent for the preservation of safety.