Final answer:
The time taken by the racket ball to reach the court is calculated by dividing the distance by the velocity, which results in approximately 0.401 seconds.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the time taken by the racket ball to reach the court, we can use the formula that relates the distance traveled, velocity, and time for uniform motion:
distance = velocity × time
Given that the horizontal velocity of the ball is 4.89 m/s and the distance it covers is 1.96 m, we can rearrange the formula to solve for time:
time = distance / velocity
time = 1.96 m / 4.89 m/s
Using a calculator for this division gives:
time = 0.401 seconds
Therefore, the ball takes approximately 0.401 seconds to reach the court.