SOLUTION: Mr. Alim's science class launched a toy rocket from ground level with an initial upward velociy of 60 feet per second. The height h of the rocket in feet above the ground after t s

Question 186049: Mr. Alim's science class launched a toy rocket from ground level with an initial upward velociy of 60 feet per second. The height h of the rocket in feet above the ground after t seconds is modeled by the equation h=60t-(16t)(16t). How long was the rocket in the air before it returned to the ground?
Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Your height function is incorrect. What you have is:

The correct function, in the form you presented is:

Or, in a more traditional form:

Now, what you need to know is the value of t, different from 0 (because time 0 is when it left the ground in the first place), when the height will be zero. So just set the right side equal to zero and solve:

Factor:

Use the Zero Product Rule to get:

Which we exclude as previously discussed, or

I'll let you finish. Remember to reduce any fractions to lowest terms.

John

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