Final answer:
The height of the penny after 2 seconds is calculated using the corrected formula h = 45 - 16t². Plugging in t=2 seconds, we find the height to be -19 feet, indicating the penny has hit the ground.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question incorrectly states the function for the falling penny as 16t=t², which is likely a typo. Assuming the correct physics-based formula for an object in free fall with gravitational acceleration on Earth, the appropriate equation for the height h of an object after t seconds would be h = 45 - 16t². This equation represents the height subtracted by the distance fallen due to gravity after t seconds. To find the height of the penny after 2 seconds, we plug t=2 into the equation:
Hence,
h = 45 - 16(2²)
h = 45 - 16(4)
h = 45 - 64
h = -19 feet
The negative sign indicates that after 2 seconds, the penny has already passed the ground level (since the original height was 45 feet), meaning it has hit the ground.