SOLUTION: A city fountain shoots jets of water that pass back and forth through a marble wall in its center. One jet of water begins 12 feet away from the wall and passes through a hole in t

Place the origin of the coordinate system (x,y) where the first jet begins.


Then the jet (the quadratic function) has x-intercepts at x= 0 and x= 12+5 = 17 feet.


So, we can write the quadratic function in the form

    y = a(x-0)*(x-17) = ax*(x-17).


In this form, we have only one unknown, which is the real coefficient "a".


We will find it from the condition  y(12) = 5,  which says that the jet passes 
through the hole located at x= 12 and y= 5.


So, for "a" we have this equation

    5 = a*12*(12-17) = a*12*(-5) = -60a.


It gives  a =  = .


Thus, the quadratic function representing the path of the jet is

    y = .     ANSWER