Module 05: Waves and Optics · quiz worth 30 pts
Criteria and constraints have different jobs in the design brief.
A result a successful solution should achieve.
A boundary every feasible solution must respect.
Use evidence for real thresholds and limits; do not invent a precise number.
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Open the work you submitted for the earlier project part. Keep the same real-world problem and select one of the sub-problems you already identified. State the chosen sub-problem narrowly enough that a solution could be evaluated. Then explain why this one deserves further investigation compared with the other sub-problem. If feedback changed your Part I framing, say what you revised.
A criterion states what a successful solution should accomplish: an outcome to maximize, reach, or improve. A constraint is a limit every feasible solution must respect, such as a budget ceiling, deadline, law, material limit, available space, safety requirement, or environmental condition. "Affordable" is too vague by itself. Research should turn it into a measurable target or documented limit that fits your project.
Name who is affected, what needs to change, and why this sub-problem matters.
Use credible sources to find performance needs, costs, safety rules, physical limits, local conditions, or other facts relevant to this exact sub-problem.
For each, state the desired result and explain why meeting it would help resolve the sub-problem.
For each, state the limit and explain why it exists. Cite the research that establishes it when the limit is factual.
Rank every criterion and constraint together from highest to lowest priority. Do not submit separate lists.
For each rank, explain why it sits above the next item and what could be sacrificed if two priorities conflict.
A strong criterion lets a reviewer ask, "Did the proposed solution meet it?" Replace "works well" with a specific performance outcome supported by context. A strong constraint lets a reviewer ask, "Is this proposal feasible?" Replace "not too expensive" with the actual applicable budget or cost condition if your research provides one. Do not invent a number just to sound precise; use a sourced value or describe the limit honestly when no fixed number exists.
The source requires one list that ranks criteria and constraints together. Label every entry Criterion or Constraint, then give its rank and rationale. A safety constraint may outrank a performance criterion; a mission-critical result may outrank a preferred cost target. There is no universal correct order. The grade comes from a researched, project-specific justification that recognizes tradeoffs.
Rank all criteria and constraints together, then compare neighbors.
Explain what would fail if this item were moved lower.
Name what may need to give when two priorities conflict.
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How could these appear in one priority list?
The ranking is defensible only when its order follows evidence and stakeholder needs. This source scenario illustrates the method; it is not a substitute for the student's Part I problem or research.
Part 1: chosen sub-problem and why it was selected. Part 2: at least two criteria, each with a reason and research support. Part 3: at least two constraints, each with a reason and research support. Part 4: one combined ranked list with explanations and likely tradeoffs. Part 5: source list or citations. The source permits a document, slideshow, flow chart, video, or another suitable online presentation. Choose the format that makes the evidence and ranking easy to inspect.
Part II asks you to choose one sub-problem for deeper research.
"Install solar panels" is a solution idea. A criterion states the outcome any candidate solution should achieve.
The assignment requires one priority list containing both criteria and constraints.
Do not make up budgets, laws, or performance thresholds. Research them or state the limit without a fake number.
After citing a fact, explain how it shapes a criterion, constraint, rank, or tradeoff.
Classify each statement by its role in a design brief. Then check whether it is specific enough to guide a decision.
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