Math Problem Statement

NASA launches a rocket at t=0 seconds. Its height, in meters above sea-level, as a function of time is given by h(t) = -4.9^2 + 208t + 367 Assuming that the rocket will splash down into the ocean, at what time does splashdown occur? in seconds. How high above sea-level does the rocket get at its peak? in meters.

Solution

We are given the height function of the rocket as:

h(t)=4.9t2+208t+367h(t) = -4.9t^2 + 208t + 367

To solve this, we need to answer two questions:

1. Time of splashdown (when the rocket hits the ocean):

Splashdown occurs when the height h(t)h(t) is 0. To find the time of splashdown, we solve the equation:

h(t)=0    4.9t2+208t+367=0h(t) = 0 \implies -4.9t^2 + 208t + 367 = 0

This is a quadratic equation in the form at2+bt+c=0at^2 + bt + c = 0, where a=4.9a = -4.9, b=208b = 208, and c=367c = 367. We'll use the quadratic formula to find tt:

t=b±b24ac2at = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}

2. Height at the peak:

The peak of the rocket's flight occurs at the vertex of the parabola. For a quadratic equation ax2+bx+cax^2 + bx + c, the time at which the peak occurs is given by:

tpeak=b2at_{\text{peak}} = \frac{-b}{2a}

At that time, we can substitute the value of tpeakt_{\text{peak}} into the height function to find the maximum height.

Let's solve both of these step by step.

Step 1: Time of splashdown (solving for tt) and height at the peak.### Results:

  1. Splashdown time: The rocket splashes down into the ocean after approximately 44.1544.15 seconds.
  2. Maximum height: The rocket reaches its peak height at around 2574.352574.35 meters above sea level.

Do you need further details or have any additional questions?

Here are 5 related questions to expand on this topic:

  1. How would the splashdown time change if the initial velocity were doubled?
  2. What is the significance of the coefficient 4.9-4.9 in the height equation?
  3. Can you calculate the rocket's velocity at the time it reaches the peak?
  4. How would you determine the total distance traveled by the rocket during its flight?
  5. How would you modify the equation if the rocket started from an elevated platform?

Tip: In quadratic motion problems, the coefficient of the squared term represents the acceleration due to gravity, especially when dealing with heights in meters and time in seconds.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Quadratic Equations
Physics of Motion
Parabolas

Formulas

h(t) = -4.9t^2 + 208t + 367
Quadratic formula: t = [-b ± √(b² - 4ac)] / 2a
Vertex formula for peak: t_peak = -b / 2a

Theorems

Quadratic Formula
Vertex Theorem

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 9-12