Question

You and your grandfather attend a live NBA game. One of the players is getting ready to make a free throw. The equation y=−0.05x2+0.8x+6 represents the trajectory of the ball from when it leaves the player’s hands. The player is 6 feet tall. At what distance from the player does the ball reach its maximum height?(1 point)
feet

Answer 1

The maximum occurs at the vertex x = -b/(2a). Here a = -0.05, b = 0.8, so x = -0.8/(2·-0.05) = 8.

Answer: 8 feet.