Algebra 1 Question

Question

A ball was thrown upward into the air. The height, in feet, of the ball above the ground t seconds after being thrown can be determined by the expression -16t² + 40t + 3. What is the meaning of the 3 in the expression?

1. A.The ball reached a maximum height of 3 feet.
2. B.The ball took 3 seconds to reach its maximum height.
3. C.The ball took 3 seconds to reach the ground.
4. D.The ball was thrown from a height of 3 feet.

Answer 1

Hi Haley,

-16t² + 40t + 3. What is the meaning of the 3 in the expression?

The ball was thrown from a height of 3 feet.

You could think of it like this - t only affects the first two constants, -16 and 40. Meaning that even at t=0 seconds (the start of the problem), h(t) will still equal three, indicating that the ball was thrown from a height of 3 feet at the onset.

h(t) = -16t² + 40t + 3

h(0) = -16(0)^2+40(0)+3

h(0) = 0 + 0 + 3

h(0) = 3 feet

At t = 0 seconds (the point the ball was thrown), height = 3 feet.