Michael Jordan's hangtime on his famous dunk from the free throw line? What type of equation models a person jumping through the air?

Answer 1

Hi Diane J.,

It's always a parabola. I presume you've been exposed, to parabolas if not Michael Jordan himself -- you just need to plug in some distances, and estimate horizontal and initial vertical velocities, for Jordan and then for the basketball itself, perhaps. If he's really dunking then he'd have to be about three feet in the air at the net. (6+(1/2) tall + 1+(1/2) arm/hand + 3 vertical = 10 net + 1 clearance). Hard to gauge what depth your instructor expects you to delve into sports performance....

-- Cheers, -- Mr. d.