SOLUTION: A person standing close to the edge on the top of a 160-foot building throws a baseball vertically upward. The quadratic function, s(t)= -16t^2+64t+160 models the ball’s height w

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Question 1146083: A person standing close to the edge on the top of a 160-foot building throws a baseball vertically upward. The quadratic function, s(t)= -16t^2+64t+160 models the ball’s height where s(t) is the height and t is the number of seconds after the ball is thrown.
(Note that s(t) is just function notation for the height of the ball and NOT s
multiplied by t; also note where the initial height and initial velocity values play a role in the equation.
How many seconds will it take for the ball to return to the surface? Round answer to the nearest hundredth. Don’t forget units!!
Found 2 solutions by ikleyn, richwmiller:
Answer by ikleyn(52781)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

To answer your question, solve the equation  s(t) = 160  

(I mean that the surface is the top of the 160-feet building --  it is how I interpret the term "return").


This equation is


     = 160,


or simplified


     = 0.


The root you want is  t =  = 4 seconds.    ANSWER


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These words "close to the edge" were introduced into the problem formulation with the only goal to confuse the reader.

It is  "pure US american"  style formulating Math problems (to load them with excessive and unnecessary words).

In normal mathematical formulation, a professional and knowledgeable author never uses such tricks.

My advise to the author is to remove these words from the text.



Answer by richwmiller(17219)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Tutor ikleyn and others
A big part of solving problems in the real world is to know what is needed and what is not needed to solve a problem.
Your dislike of such "trick" questions is pure academic snobbery.
If you don't like such problems then avoid them.
Stick to solving problems that suit you.
BTW I don't admit that it is "pure US american" style. The style of having extraneous info is valid for teaching real world problems.
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