Question

OMG SOMEONE PLEASEEEEE HELP ASAP THIS IS OVER DUE ......NO LINKS AND NO TROLLING PLS (100 POINTS)

A swimmer dives off an 8-foot platform. The function y = –(x2 – 2x – 8) gives the diver's height above the water (in feet), where x is the horizontal distance from the platform (in feet). What are the zeros of this function? Do both zeros make sense in terms of the problem? Why or why not?

Answer 1

The zeros of this function are -2 and 4.

No, only one zero makes sense in terms of the problem. Because there is no negative distance from the platform.

Explanation:

Zeros are solutions, are x-intercepts. see image. When the diver is 0 feet (horizontally) from the platform, they are 8 feet up above the surface of the water. Once they jump, they are moving in a curved path that is half of a parabola. The zeros are where the diver is 0 feet above the water. We can calculate an answer of -2 but the diver is not going backwards (yikes! the pool side deck surface, ouch!) The diver will be 4 feet out (horizontally) from the platform when they hit the water. see image.

Solving:

set the function equal to 0.

Factor.

Set each factor equal to zero.

Solve. see image.

Answer 2

Find zeros

• x²-2x-8=0
• x²-4x+2x-8=0
• x(x-4)+2(x-4)=0
• (x+2)(x-4)=0
• x=-2,4

No

-2 doesn't make any sense as distance can't be negative