The main cable of a suspension bridge forms a parabola modeled by the equation y = a(x – h)2 + k where y is the height in feet of the cable above the road, x is the horizontal distance in feet from the right bridge support, a is a constant, and (h, k) is the parabola’s vertex. What is the maximum and minimum height of the bridge modeled by the equation y = 0.005(x – 60)2 + 8?

Question

anonymous · Answer

maximum height = 26 feet and minimum height = 8 feet

butterflydreamer · Answer

how did you get 26 feet as your maximum height? :O

anonymous · Answer

When I graphed it the y coordinate was at 26 and the x value at 8. Am I wrong?

butterflydreamer · Answer

hmm... when i substituted x = 8 into the equation , i got y = 21. 52 ?

anonymous · Answer

So what do you think the min and max is? I have a min of 60, however I am not able to find the max

butterflydreamer · Answer

to be honest, xD if it's a  parabola right, it can only have either a minimum or a maximum ((i think? )) I'm not too sure :S 
@dan815 @rational

anonymous · Answer

Yes it is a parabola, but they are asking for both the  min and max. ;)

butterflydreamer · Answer

yeah.. i really have no idea :( sorry!

rational · Answer

26 for max height  and 8 for min height are correct

butterflydreamer · Answer

xD oops

rational · Answer

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