SOLUTION: hi! I'm not sure how to do this word problem of a parabola. The question is: An arch is the shape of a parabola. If an arch is 200 feet high and 80 feet wide, how tall is the arch

Algebra.Com
Question 1089467: hi! I'm not sure how to do this word problem of a parabola. The question is: An arch is the shape of a parabola. If an arch is 200 feet high and 80 feet wide, how tall is the arch at 20 feet away from the center. Thank you!
Answer by ikleyn(52802)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
For simplicity, let assume that the origin of the coordinate system is placed on the ground EXACTLY at the symmetry line of the parabola.


Then the equation of the parabola in this coordinate system is 

y = a*(x+40)*(x-40) =  = ,

where 40 is half the distance between the arc's foots, and "a" is some unknown coefficient.


You need to choose the value of "a" in a way to provide its arc height 200 ft at x = 0. So, your equation for "a" is

200 =  = -a*1600,

which gives you  a =  = .


Thus your parabola is  y = .     (1)


Now to find the height at x = 20 ft, you need simply substitute x= 20 into the formula (1).  You will get


    The height of the arc at x= 20  is  y =  =  =  = 100 ft.


Answer.  The height of the arc at x= 20  is  100 ft.

Solved.



RELATED QUESTIONS

An arch in the shape of a parabola has height 630ft and width 630ft. How wide is the arch (answered by MathLover1)
Hi. This is my second question for today. A bridge has an elliptical arch as a... (answered by math_tutor2020)
The B Bridge connects SI and NY to NJ. It has an arch in the sharpe of a parabola that... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
a concrete bridge is designed with an arch in the shape of the parabola. The road over... (answered by josgarithmetic,MathTherapy)
An arch is in the shape of a parabola. It has a span of 240 feet and a maximum height of... (answered by greenestamps)
An arch is in the shape of a parabola. It has a span of 208 meters and a maximum height... (answered by ewatrrr,ikleyn)
An arch is in the shape of a parabola. It has a span of 320 meters and a maximum height... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
An arch is in the shape of a parabola. It has a span of 180 meters and a maximum height... (answered by ikleyn)
An arch that supports a bridge is built in the shape of a downwards opening parabola. Its (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)