Flights of leaping animals typically have parabolic paths. The figure illustrates a frog jump superimposed on a coordinate plane. The length of the leap is 9 feet, and the maximum height off the ground is 3 feet. find the equation of the parabola with zeroes at (0,0) and (9,0), and with a vertex of (4.5, 3).

Question

anonymous · Answer

ax^2 + bx + c = 0 
c = 0 because of (0,0)

20.25a+4.5b = 0
81a + 9b = 0

and solve by elimination:

40.5a + 9b = 0
81a + 9b = 0

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