Question

While hovering near the top of Ribbon Falls in Yosemite National park at 1600 feet, a helicopter pilot accidentally drops his sunglasses. The height h(t) of the sunglasses after t second is given by the polynomial function h(t)=-16t^2+1600. When will the sunglasses hit the ground? (Hint: Let the height,h(t), be 0 and solve for t.)

Answer 1

10 seconds

Explanation:

Plug in 0 as h(t) and solve for t:

h(t) = -16t² + 1600

0 = -16t² + 1600

-1600 = -16t²

100 = t²

10 = t

So, the sunglasses will hit the ground after 10 seconds