Question

A dolphin dives down into the ocean and resurfaces along a path that is modeled by x2 – 16x – 8y = 0, where the distances are in feet. How many feet is the dolphin from its starting point along the water's surface? (5 points)

Answer 1

approx 17 ft

Explanation:

You need to find the 'zeroes' of this equation......where the depth is zero

x^2 - 16x - 8 = 0 You will need to use the Quadratic Formula

with a = 1 b= -16 c = -8

to find x = 8 +- 6 sqrt 2

the distance between these zeroes is 12 sqrt2 = 16.97 = ~ 17 feet