Question

A ball is launched from a platform. The equation for the ball’s height h at time t seconds after launch is h(t)=-16t2 + 17.6t +356.16, where h is in feet. What is the initial height for the ball before launch?

Answer 1

The height of the ball at time t is given by the equation:

$h(t)=-16t^2+17.6t+356.16$

The initial height before it was launched occurs when t = 0. Substituting:

$h(0)=-16(0)^2+17.6(0)+356.16$

Calculating:

$\begin{gathered} h(0)=0+0+356.16 \\ h(0)=356.16 \end{gathered}$

The initial height is 356.16 feet