Final answer:
Solving the quadratic equation h = -16t² + 484 by setting h to 0 for the object hitting the ground, we find that the object takes 5.5 seconds to reach the ground.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out how many seconds pass before the object reaches the ground, we need to solve the quadratic equation representing the height h of the object after t seconds, given by the equation h = -16t² + 484. Since we want to find the time when the object hits the ground, we set h to 0 and solve for t:
0 = -16t² + 484
Now we divide by -16:
0 = t² - 30.25
To solve this quadratic equation, we take the square root of both sides:
t = √30.25
The positive root gives us the time:
t = 5.5 seconds
Therefore, it takes 5.5 seconds for the object to reach the ground.