For "Mathaletes"

If anyone is interested in running a few "math" miles today, here is a nice word problem that I am going to attempt to explain in full!   
  h= -16t^2 + 80t + 64   where t= time in seconds & h= height 
  This formula is a "quadratic equation" for finding the curve of an object as it falls, when it hits the ground etc.
        This ^ means that anything after the symbol, means that the number or variable is a power. 
             What time will the ball obtain maximum height?  
                                   SPOILER
 First, not knowing the math levels of my audience ( but I am assuming some or most of you have taken algebra 1)  I must explain a few things. For this question we will be using part of the "Quadratic Formula". -b/2a. By now you are probably extremely lost and about to skip. B, is always the number in front of t that isn't squared, so in this case 80 is b. That would make a -80 for b. Now we have -80/2a. A is always the number that is squared so in this case it would be 2(-16). Now we have -80/2(-16).
   Simplify the fraction -80/2(-16) into + 5/2. That simply leaves us with 2 and 1/2 sec when you divide five by two. 


               So in other words, the ball with obtain maximum height in two and a half seconds. 
       A= -16
       B= 80 
           Where we get the numbers    h= a^2 + b(t) + 64.
               -80/2(-16) turns into 5/2 then once divided turns into 2 and 1/2 seconds. t = time in seconds. 
           Alrighty, well that's a good 20 math miles for everyone.. considering that the equation was one of the grand finales of Algebra 1 that you needed to take the whole class to do. 
                 see ya!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A knife in the dark

If you really thought about it, a knife in the dark could mean a lot of things, someone stumbling along a dark alley called "The World" poking at the darkness of reality, or seeing someone else's knife can instigate fear. Its a mystique phrase filled with suspense and hidden danger, just who exactly is carrying this glinting piece of steel? And what kind of thrilling mystery did you take this line from?       A title to anything, a novel, a computer game, an essay must catch the readers eye and bring that eyeball down to the text below. Anything abstract, well worded, brainy, or has hidden meanings causes a person to take interest, or at least stop for a few seconds to read the phrase.To some it could be some kind of elvish dagger held by an unknown elf, and just maybe the text below holds something worthwhile about "Lord of the rings". Or perhaps they are into mystery and goth and they are intrigued.      Of course the point of the ti...
Read more

Impromptu story writing

I am sure that a few readers are aware of Toastmasters, people who read part of a story, and make up the rest, spinning a story as they go in front of a group of people with no paper, just sheer words from the brain. It can be a very impressive and amusing performance.       There is another specie of this particular task, known as impromptu story writing, where one takes a single word, phrase, picture or beginning and  writes and finishes it under a time limit.It can be rather grueling depending on the subject or the object of the story.       I have decided to try some impromptu creative writing late at night. I have concluded that the quickest way to come up with some subjects I must add is to start with the season. Here are the subjects that I must base my story off of or at least add.               New Years, Santa Claus, and Christmas tree. Bingo! Now I know a few may not trust my word to stayi...
Read more

The weekend

What do most people look forward to in an average day to day life? Some work at least four to five days a week, at a job or school or maybe even their own business ( when you have your own business its twice as hard to only work four days a week and not seven!). For many, the only thing to look forward to is the weekend when perhaps they can get plenty of things done or actually enjoy themselves for once!      There are a few very important days of the working week. Monday is the start of a new week and some people really plow through that day with a yoke. Tuesday isn't as bad knowing that there is a day behind you and now the count is down to three days. Wednesday is so so. But Thursday is the anticipation of Friday which is the anticipation of an unexplored weekend.            And here we are at Friday, perhaps the most exciting day of the week. Friday is the day of "anticipation and hope" that maybe this particular weekend will stand ou...
Read more