SOLUTION: If an object is propelled upward from ground level with an initial velocity of 224 feet per second, its height h in feet t seconds later is given by the equation h-224t - 16t^2. Af

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Question 268526: If an object is propelled upward from ground level with an initial velocity of 224 feet per second, its height h in feet t seconds later is given by the equation h-224t - 16t^2. After how many seconds does the object hit the ground?
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


I'm reasonably certain that you meant:



That is because, in general, the height of an object propelled upward from a start position of at an initial velocity magnitude of as a function of time is given by:



Here, you are given that and , hence:



which is to say:



This is a quadratic equation having two roots. Clearly, since the equation has no constant term (i.e. ), one of the roots will be zero. That makes good sense since the object began at height zero at time zero. Now all you need to do is solve for the other root to find the other time that the height will be zero, namely the time in the future when the projectile comes back to the ground.

John