Question 523903: I have a question that needs an equation.
A ball is thrown over a 5 ft fence. The ball clears the fence, but without much room to spare. The ball lands 10 ft from the fence. Using the fence as the axis of symmetry, write an equation that approximates the path of the ball. (Let the origin be where the fence meets the ground.)
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! A ball is thrown over a 5 ft fence.
The ball clears the fence, but without much room to spare.
The ball lands 10 ft from the fence.
Using the fence as the axis of symmetry, write an equation that approximates the path of the ball.
(Let the origin be where the fence meets the ground.)
:
Assume the ball reaches a height of 6 ft to clear the 5 ft wall
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The equation will be the difference of squares, (no middle term)
:
Find the coefficient of x^2, using ax^2 + bx + c, where c = 6
when x=10, y=0 and x=-10, y=0, write two equations
100a + 10b + 6 = 0
100a - 10b + 6 = 0
-------------------adding eliminates b, find a
200a + 12 = 0
200a = -12
a = -12/200
a = -.06
therefore the equation is: y = -.06x^2 + 6
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Graph would look like this
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