Please heeelllppp!! A cliff driver dives off a cliff 40 feet above water. Write an equation giving the diver's height H in feet above the water after T seconds. How long is the diver in the air?

Question

sirm3d · Answer

it is a projectile motion
its height H at any time T is $$H=40-16T^2$$

anonymous · Answer

my only question is why is it negative 16?

sirm3d · Answer

is this a physics problem or a math problem?

anonymous · Answer

math

sirm3d · Answer

acceleration due to gravity is in the downward direction, hence the negative sign

anonymous · Answer

oh now i get the negative part but the 16 alltogether?

sirm3d · Answer

the full term is $$-\frac{ 1 }{ 2 }gT^2$$

sirm3d · Answer

where g=32 ft/s/s

anonymous · Answer

oh i see

anonymous · Answer

but wait what happened to the 40?

sirm3d · Answer

the formula is $$H=40-\frac{ 1 }{ 2 }gT^2$$ i only addressed your question on the 16 part of the term.

anonymous · Answer

oh

anonymous · Answer

oh i get it! thank you!