Final answer:
The terminal velocity of a parachutist weighing 240 pounds is approximately 13.5 mph.
Step-by-step explanation:
The terminal velocity of a parachutist is directly proportional to the square root of their weight. Let's first find the proportionality constant by using the given information:
For a 160-pound parachutist, the terminal velocity is 9 mph.
Using the formula for terminal velocity, we can set up the following proportion:
(Weight of the 160-pound parachutist)/(Terminal velocity of the 160-pound parachutist) = (Weight of the 240-pound parachutist)/(Terminal velocity of the 240-pound parachutist).
Plugging in the values, we have:
(160)/(9) = (240)/(x), where x is the terminal velocity of the 240-pound parachutist.
Cross multiplying and solving for x gives us:
x = (240 * 9)/160 = 13.5 mph.
Therefore, the terminal velocity of a parachutist weighing 240 pounds is approximately 13.5 mph.