document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=275891>Question 275891</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The following function gives the height, (h) meters, of a batted baseball as a function of the time, t seconds, since the ball was hit.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "h=-6(t-2.5)^2+38.5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "How many seconds after it was hit did the ball hit the ground, to the nearest second?<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I have made an equation of 0=-6(t-2.5)^2+38.5 and then simplified it out to 0=-6t^2+30t+1 but don't know how to solve for t. i have looked at step by step calculators on a bunch of different sites but all of the instructions involved things that i have not learned yet. The answer in the back of the book is 5 and that's what all of the calculators say but i don't know how to get that answer. I just wanted to know if there is an easier way to solve this equation than the calculators give me. Thanks. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #201196 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=scott8148><B>scott8148(6628)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=scott8148><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=scott8148><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=201196\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> start with the equation you made\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "subtracting 38.5 ___ -38.5 = -6(t - 2.5)^2\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "dividing by -6 ___ 6.417 = (t - 2.5)^2\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "taking square root ___ ±2.533 = t - 2.5 ___ remember square roots can be positive or negative\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "adding 2.5 ___ 5.033 = t ___ AND ___ -.033 = t\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "5 is the answer you are looking for\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "but the -.033 isn't just junk <BR>\n" );
document.write( "___ it represents the time that the ball would have STARTED from the ground </SPAN>\n" );
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