Question

Quadratic functions can be used to describe the rate at which an object will fall and predict when it will land or how high it may
go. Create a quadratic function using the function y = - 16t to the 2 power help predict when an object will return to the ground from
being kicked, dropped, or thrown. In 3 in a 7th graders response sentences, describe the scenario in which you will use the function. Write the complete function and explain the meaning of the variable t and the constant value.

Answer 1

I kick a soccer ball straight up from the ground with an initial speed of 32 feet per second, and I want to know when it will land. The height y (in feet) after t seconds is y = -16t^2 + 32t, and solving y = 0 shows the ball returns to the ground after 2 seconds. In this function t is the time in seconds, the number 16 comes from gravity (we use -16t^2 when measuring in feet), and the 32 is the ball's starting upward speed.