Question

Bill steps off a 3.0-m-high diving board and drops to the water below. at the same time, ted jumps upward with a speed of 4.2 m/s from 1.0-m-high diving board

Answer 1

Choosing the origin to be 3.0 m {\rm m} above the water, and downward to be the positive x x direction, write x x-versus-t t equations of motion for both Bill and Ted.

Answer 2

This is what I have so far as the answer
xbill= -0.5gt^2+3.0 because the intial velocity is zero
xted=-0.5gt^2+4.3+1.
But i'm not sure

Answer 3

Let me clean that up a bit:

First note that given the coordinate system the problem gives you, g will be positive and the origin is at the same point as the high diving board.

Therefore, Bill's equation should be pretty clear since he's starting at 0 velocity:
\[\Large x_{Bill}=\cancel{(0m/s)t}+\frac{1}{2}gt^2\]
Ted is starting at 1m above the water which is 2 meters below the origin. \[\Large x_{Ted}=2m=(-4.2m/s)t+\frac{1}{2}gt^2\]Now you can just simplify Ted's equation a bit and you're done.

Answer 4

Thank you so much :)

Answer 5

No problem, good luck!