Instruction Guide: Logic Loops

Submitted by Randy Steele on 15 April, 2012 - 17:21

In this lesson students explore the use of Boolean Loigc to control Loop Blocks.

Have students work through the "Logic Loops" lesson on the "Advanced" page in "NXT Video Trainer 2.0".

Students should be able to answer all the review questions at the end of each step and end up with a solid command of the purpose and functionality Loop Blocks controlled by Boolean Logic.  Although this lesson emphasizies Boolean Logic for loop control, Boolean Logic may be used in many NXT-G Blocks.

As students progress through, have them document their milestones in the Logic Loops Task Assignment Sheet.

Automatic Threshold Challenge

This page contains a copy of this challenge from "NXT Video Trainer 2.0."

Key learning to check for during sign-off includes:

  • Ensure students understand the nature of logic-controlled Loop Blocks:

     

    • Have students explain how Wait-For Block can be replaced a sensor-controlled Loop Block
    • Then have them explain how this senor-controlled Loop Block and be replaced by using the logic output of a Sensor Block and the logic-contol of the Loop Block
    • Finally, have them explain how extending this idea with a Logic Block allows the Loop Block to be controlled by multiple sensors
  • Ensure students understand the nature of the Logic  Block:

     

    • Have students explain the four Boolean Logic options for the Logic Block

       

      • Use the Venn Diagram to help with this explanations
      • The A & B inputs can be set as block paramters, or overwritten by data wires
  • Robustness of Solution:

     

    • Make sure the prompts are diaplayed using the Display Block
    • Test under different lighting conditions

Pipeline Explorer Culminating Challenge

This page contains a copy of this challenge from "NXT Video Trainer 2.0."

Key learning to check for during sign-off includes:

  • This is a complex program, so have students develop a flow chart:

     

    • Use Sub-Processes for the previously written program:

       

      • "Automatic Threshold" from this lesson
      • "Line Locator 2" from the "Calculations" lesson
  • Have students use My Blocks for the 2 Sub-Processes (and others if desired)
  • Ensure the comments in the program are consistent with the Flow Chart