Final answer:
The maximum height of the football is approximately 15.21 yards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The given equation for the path of the football is y = –0.04x^2 + 1.56x, where x is the horizontal distance in yards and y is the corresponding height in yards. To find the maximum height of the football, we need to determine the vertex of the parabolic function represented by the equation. The vertex represents the point where the function reaches its maximum or minimum value.
The vertex of a quadratic function in the form y = ax^2 + bx + c can be found using the formula x = -b/(2a). In this case, a = -0.04 and b = 1.56. Plugging these values into the formula, x = -1.56/(2*-0.04) = 19.5. Substituting this value back into the equation, we can find the corresponding y value which represents the maximum height of the football.
y = –0.04(19.5)^2 + 1.56(19.5) = -0.04(380.25) + 30.24 = 15.21 yards