What is the vertex of the problem? What does the vertex represent in the context of the problem? Type your answer below

Question

A basketball player stands near the middle of the court and throws the ball toward the basket. The path of the ball is a parabola. The ball leaves the player's hands at a height of 4 feet above the ground. The ball travels to a maximum height of 10 feet when it is a horizontal distance of 14 feet from the players hands. 

What is the vertex of the problem? What does the vertex represent in the context of the problem? Type your answer below

Answer 1

The vertex of the parabola represents the maximum height of the ball as it travels toward the basket. The vertex is given in the problem as 14 feet horizontally from the player and 10 feet up.

BTW, a standard basketball hoop is 10 feet off the ground, so this shot has zero chance of going into the basket. ;-)