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A ball is kicked upward with an initial velocity of 56 feet per second. The ball's height h (in feet) can be expressed as a function of time t (in seconds) by the equation h = -16t2 + 56t. How much time does the ball take to reach its highest point?

2 Answers

7 votes
The equation of motion (for the height of the ball) is h(t) = -16t^2 + 56t. Please note that you must use the symbol " ^ " to indicate exponentiation.

This quadratic function could be graphed easily. Factoring h(t) = -16t^2 + 56t, we get h(t) = t(-16t + 56). We can obtain the horiz. intercepts by setting this function equal to zero and solving for t. One value is t=0; the other is t=(7/2). If you graph this parabola, you can read off from your graph the t value at which the ball reaches its highest point. That t value is halfway between t=0 and t=(7/2).

Alternatively, you could find the vertex of this parabola as a t-value. This t-value is the answer to this problem.

Recall that at the vertex, t = -b/a, where, in this case, b=56 and a=-16.
Calculate:

t = -56/(-16). The units of measurement must be "sec."


User Habebit
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8.1k points
6 votes
answer is 1.75 seconds.

velocity is 0 at highest point, by taking the derivative of function we can get the time it takes before it reached its highest point
A ball is kicked upward with an initial velocity of 56 feet per second. The ball's-example-1
User RSolberg
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8.6k points