Question

An airplane dropping supplies to northern villages that are isolated by severe blizzards and cannot be reached by land vehicles. The airplane is flying at an altitude of 785m and at a constant horizontal velocity of 53.5 m/s. At what horizontal distance before the drop point should the co-pilot drop the supplies so that they will land at the drop point?
(neglect air friction).

Answer 1

How long does it take to drop 785m?

4.9t^2 = 785

Then the horizontal distance traveled in that time is 53.5t

Answer 2

time to ground is 785/4.9=12.66
drop point 53.5*12.66 = 676.7 m before target