Question

a package is accidentally dropped from a helicopter from a height of 3,136ft. if the equation for height as a function of time is h(t) = -16t^2 + initial height where t is time in seconds and h(t) is height in feet, how many seconds will it take for the package to hit the ground?

Answer 1

t = 14 seconds

Explanation:

Given that,

A package is accidentally dropped from a helicopter from a height of 3,136ft.

The equation for height as a function of time is :

`h(t) = -16t^2 + \text{initial height}`

So,

`h(t) = -16t^2 +3,136`

When it hits the ground, h(t) = 0

So,

`-16t^2 +3,136=0\\\\-16t^2=-3136\\\\t^2=(3136)/(16)\\\\t^2=196\\\\t=14\ s`

So, it will take 14 seconds for the package to hit the ground.