A baseball player hits a baseball into the outfield. The following equation models the ball's path. If not caught, when will the baseball land? Round to the nearest tenth second.
h = -16t2 + 50t + 4

Answer

3.0 seconds

3.2 seconds

3.4 seconds

3.6 seconds

Question

A baseball player hits a baseball into the outfield. The following equation models the ball's path. If not caught, when will the baseball land? Round to the nearest tenth second.
h = -16t2 + 50t + 4

Answer
		
3.0 seconds
		
3.2 seconds
		
3.4 seconds
		
3.6 seconds

anonymous · Answer

Plot that curve h. It looks something like:|dw:1351076632251:dw|

You need to find the value of x at that point I crossed. That is when h=0. So you need to set h=0 and then find out what values t must be for it to be true.

anonymous · Answer

You just made me a little more confused :p

But i think the answer is A, 3.0 seconds, am i right?

anonymous · Answer

no.

anonymous · Answer

use that quadratic formula if you're not allowed to plot it on your calculator.

calculusfunctions · Answer

When an object hits the ground, height = 0. Thus you equate h to zero and solve for t.

anonymous · Answer

Oh so its 3.2

if its not i can post my work and you can tell me where i went wrong

anonymous · Answer

h stands for height. It's asking what time it will be when the height is zero. If you think 3.0 is the answer, then you can replace t with 3.0, in your definition of the function, and see what value h takes. Check to see if it's zero. There are two places where it can be zero though.