Follow the moving group

Keep track of the original balls as they move, rather than remembering their starting places.

Remember the balls, not the places

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Starting example: two marked targets among six balls.

At level 1, two of the six balls are marked. Study that group for as long as you need. Movement begins only when you choose Ready, follow them.

The marks then disappear, and all six balls look alike. Follow the same two balls as they move. Their starting places are not the answer.

The pictures in this lesson are static teaching examples, not a tracking trial.

Lesson help

Follow the original group through its movements, then select those same balls after they stop.

About this lesson

Try the method in a practice when you are ready.

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Remember the balls, not the places

At level 1, two of the six balls are marked. Study that group for as long as you need. Movement begins only when you choose Ready, follow them.

The marks then disappear, and all six balls look alike. Follow the same two balls as they move. Their starting places are not the answer.

The pictures in this lesson are static teaching examples, not a tracking trial.

Starting example: two marked targets among six balls.

A change of direction does not change the target

The balls move for six seconds at level 1. They can change direction at the edge or when they meet another ball. A target stays a target after either turn.

This picture reveals the original two targets at the end of the same generated example. In the practice, you choose your answers before that reveal.

When balls come close, keep following the ones you began with. Do not switch to a nearby ball just because it is easier to see.

End of the same example, with the original two targets revealed.

Choose the original targets

Movement has stopped. Number labels now help you select balls; the numbers were not visible while they moved.

Select the two balls you followed, then choose Check selection. Selecting a ball again undoes that choice. Which rule should guide your answer?

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Stopped example: the numbers help with selection, not tracking.

Try it

What should you select after the balls stop?

  1. Any balls near the two starting places
  2. The same two balls that were marked at the start
Show the answer

The same two balls that were marked at the start

Correct. A target keeps its identity as it moves and changes direction. Choose those original balls at their final positions.

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Practice Multiple-object tracking