Introduction course

What: Students work out the mathematical background of a GPS device with the help of mathematical modelling.

Who: high school students interested in mathematics

When: Weekly Monday afternoon between 15:45 - 17:15 o'clock from 23.04. to 28.05.2018 (except the 21. and 28.05.)

Where: Mathematics Laboratory, KIT Campus South

Contribution to expenses: free of charge

Registration: not popssible anymore

Source: esa - P. Carril

Source: https://de.toonpool.com/cartoons/Navigation%20App_161640

Pokémon-go is fun. The navigation device does us a loyal service. Geocaching inspires not only little treasure hunters. But how do the GPS receivers in the smartphone determine and navigation devices have their own position on Earth? And what does that have to do with mathematics?

In the introduction course, students gain insights into the functionality of navigation satellite systems for position determination, which is of particular interest to young people through their own everyday use in cars, on bicycles, smart phones or even in cameras. GPS works with satellites orbiting the earth at an altitude of up to 20 000 km. The satellites are equipped with an atomic clock and continuously transmit the current time to Earth. GPS devices receive this information and can use it to calculate their own position.

During each of the six appointments, the students work together in small groups for one and a half hours on the problem and have as a goal at the end their own position, which they can record with a GPS device, calculate themselves. To do this, they simply use MATLAB programs.