The average yearly rainfall in New York State is about 46 inches. To measure rainfall, meteorologists use instruments called rain gauges. They are usually a transparent cylinder with measurement markings in inches or millimeters placed outside. Rain gauges collect the precipitation for a given amount of time in the area to let you know how much rainfall there was. There is rainfall about 120 days out of the year in New York State. It’s always advised to prepare yourself for this type of weather. There are many great preparations one can take. One easy thing to do is always have an umbrella handy. Don’t have an umbrella? Well, why not design your own? Your challenge is to build an umbrella out of the provided materials to protect an area from getting wet.
Your design does have some criteria and constraints. The umbrella has to be large enough to protect a circle area with about a 5” diameter. The umbrella prototype should be at least 12” tall. There can only be one support beam for the umbrella to stand on its own. There can be “feet” on the bottom of the umbrella to help it stand if needed. The umbrella must endure a rainfall of about 2 cups of water without getting any rain on the specified area. Finally, the umbrella cannot be adhered in any way to the base.
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