PLTW Test

functional analysis

a step in the reverse-engineering process which identifies the necessary activities or actions of components and subsystems to turn available inputs—such as materials and energy—into desired outputs. A functional analysis is conducted through careful observation of an object’s sequential operation before it is disassembled.

limit dimensions

the largest and smallest possible boundaries to which a feature can be made as related to the tolerance of the dimension

abstraction

the process or result of taking away or removing characteristics from something to reduce it to a set of essential characteristics

specification

a detailed description of how something should be done or made; 2. the act of describing or identifying something precisely or of stating a precise requirement

unilateral tolerance

a tolerance in which variation is permitted in only one direction from the specified dimension

bilateral tolerance

a tolerance in which variation is permitted in both directions from the specified dimension

systems thinking

understanding a system by examining the connections between the parts that compose the entirety of the system

system

a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements or parts that function together as a whole to accomplish a goal. Change happens if someone adds or removes a part.

reverse engineering

the process of taking something apart and analyzing its workings in detail

degrees of freedom

a variable by which an object can move