A ball is thrown up into air from the ground and the ball's velocity is modeled by the equation v(t)=−41x2−4cos(πx)+8. At what t value does the ball reach its maximum?
Q. A ball is thrown up into air from the ground and the ball's velocity is modeled by the equation v(t)=−41x2−4cos(πx)+8. At what t value does the ball reach its maximum?
Identify Velocity Equation: Identify the given velocity equation for the ball.The given velocity equation is v(t)=−(41)x2−4cos(πx)+8.We need to find the value of t at which the velocity is zero, as this will be the point where the ball changes direction and starts to fall back down, indicating the maximum height.
Set Equation Equal to Zero: Set the velocity equation equal to zero to find the critical points.0=−(41)x2−4cos(πx)+8This is a transcendental equation because it involves both polynomial and trigonometric terms. We will need to use numerical methods or graphing techniques to solve for x.
Use Graphing Calculator: Use a graphing calculator or software to plot the velocity equation and find the t value where the velocity is zero.Since the equation is transcendental, we cannot solve it algebraically for an exact solution. Instead, we will approximate the solution using a graphing tool.
Observe Graph for Maximum Height: Observe the graph to determine the t value where the velocity crosses the t-axis, which indicates the maximum height.By graphing the function, we can see that the velocity crosses the t-axis at approximately t=2 seconds. This is the point where the ball reaches its maximum height.
More problems from Solve quadratic equations: word problems