Question

I need help with the first three questions?
http://oi58.tinypic.com/syb2id.jpg

Answer 1

Do you have any idea where to start?

Answer 2

All I know is 167=-16t^2+v+h

Answer 3

I just don't know how to find the intial velocity and intial height

Answer 4

For reference in this post, the background is:
"Niagra Falls in New York is 167 feet high. How long does it take for the water to fall from the top to the bottom of Niagra Falls? Using the model \(h=16t^2+v_0t+h_0\)."

So the first question is what is \(v_0\).
What should \(v_0\) mean for the equation?

Answer 5

V0 stands for initial velocity

Answer 6

I think it's zero because there isn't a number for that

Answer 7

Right! And we're talking about vertical velocity. No number is a good hint! Also, the water just drops, it starts not moving down until it starts falling. So \(v_0=0\).

And what about \(h\)? What does is stand for and what might it be?

Answer 8

h is height we don't know that yet?

Answer 9

Okay! You got one out of two! The \(h\) is definitely the height! It is how far the water falls. The change in height of the water from before to after. That actually is given, though! :)

Answer 10

You just have to know how far the water will fall.

It's in the problem! When you go into any word problem, you might want to identify what the numbers are, and how they can help you in the problem. A picture might help.

Answer 11

Thanks for the tip there at the end! I would like to thank @jigglypuff314 for helping me out too!

Answer 12

Cool :)

So, have you settled on a value of \(h\)? Or did you get past that elsewhere?

Answer 13

No not yet.. Sorry!

Answer 14

No, that's fine! Let's continue, then! Do you have any new thoughts?

Answer 15

No...

Answer 16

Okay!

We decided that \(h\) is the height that the water has to fall. How far does the water fall?

Answer 17

167ft or is that the initial velocity?

Answer 18

167 feet is a distance, and it's the height of the waterfall, so that's it!!