As noted above, stopwatches introduced a large degree of random error and a number of uncontrolled variables. Using time gates to record the instantaneous speed at the start of the board would eliminate most of these variables, including friction. It would therefore be advantageous to use time gates rather than stopwatches. The distances on the inclined plane (s1 = 1.5 m) and on the table (s2 = 4.0 m) were chosen to reduce the margin of error. By extending these distances, the effect of friction was greater; however, this effect is relatively small. Shorter distances would have resulted in large margins of error; it was therefore advantageous to have longer distances between the inclined plane and the table. Thanks to this study, the relationship between the horizontal speed of a ball and the angle of the inclined plane it travels is known. Therefore, maximizing horizontal velocity on a ramp is as simple as theory. This has many practical applications, such as bowling ramps and cycle jumps, where the greatest possible horizontal speed is required..