Question

A cable for a suspension bridge is modeled by y - 55 = 0.0025x2, where x is the horizontal distance, in feet, from the support tower and y is the height, in feet, above the bridge. How far is the lowest point of the cable above the bridge?

Answer 1

The lowest point of the suspension cable, represented by the equation y - 55 = 0.0025x^2, is 55 feet above the bridge when x=0, which is the vertex of the parabola.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question is about a cable for a suspension bridge, which is described by the equation y - 55 = 0.0025x^2. To find how far the lowest point of the cable is above the bridge, we look for the vertex of the parabola represented by this equation, as it will give us the minimum point for y when x=0. Substituting x=0 into the equation gives us y - 55 = 0, so y = 55. Therefore, the lowest point of the cable is 55 feet above the bridge.