Question 1068621:  A ball is thrown vertically upward. After t seconds, its height h (in feet) is given by the function  
h(t) = 60t - 16t^2
 
What is the maximum height that the ball will reach?
 
Do not round your answer.
 
Height: _____ feet
 
Please show steps to answer this problem. Thank you.  
 Found 3 solutions by  KMST, ikleyn, josgarithmetic: Answer by KMST(5328)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! The function   , which could be written as   , 
is a quadratic function 
(a polynomial with degree 2), 
and graphs as a parabola. 
Your teacher probably wants to remember all the names and formulas. 
  
WITH FORMULAS: 
You have probably studied quadratic functions of the form 
  and were told that they have 
a maximum if   , or a minimum is   
at   . 
That point in the graph is also called the vertex of the parabola. 
In this case, the variable is called   instead of   , 
and the coefficients are 
  ,   , and   . 
So the maximum happens at   
So the maximum is 
  . 
  
WITH EASE (AND THINKING): 
Those parabolas are symmetrical, 
so if a parabola has two zeros, 
the maximum or minimum happens halfway between the zeros. 
This parabola must have two zeros 
and a maximum in between because the ball 
was thrown up from the ground (how did they do that?) 
gets to some maximum height, 
and falls back to the ground on the ground. 
Let me find the zeros by factoring. 
   
  
So, the zeros are   and 
(from  <--> <-->  )   . 
The maximum happens halfway between   and   . 
So, it happens at   . 
The maximum is   
  
  . 
  
Either way, the maximum height is   . 
 Answer by ikleyn(52899)      (Show Source):  Answer by josgarithmetic(39630)      (Show Source): 
  | 
 
  
 
 |   
 
 |