Question

A toy rocket is launched from a platform that is 48 feet high. The rocket’s height above the ground is modeled by h = -16t 2+ 32t + 48. a. Find the maximum height of the rocket.

Answer 1

The maximum height of the rocket is 64 ft.

Explanation:

The -t^2 term tells us that the graph of this function is a parabola that opens down. The x-coordinate of the axis of symmetry is

-b

x = -----------

2a

which here is:

-32

x = ------------ = 1

2(-16)

The value of this function at t = 1 is

h(1) = -16(1)^2 + 32(1) + 48, or 64 ft

The maximum height of the rocket is 64 ft.