Name: ________________________

Applications with Parabolic Functions Homework

1. A model rocket launched from the roof of a building. Its flight path is modeled by
h = -2t2 + 20t + 50 where h is the height of the rocket above the ground in meters and t is
the time after the launch in seconds.
a. What is the rocket’s maximum height?

b. When does the rocket reach the maximum height?

c. When does the rocket hit the ground?

2. A water balloon is thrown into the air so that its height in meters, h, after t seconds is
h = -4.9t2 + 27t + 2.4.
a. How high is the balloon after 1 second?

b. Find the vertex of the parabola. Write a complete sentence interpreting what the vertex
means in relation to the context of the problem.

c. When will the balloon hit the ground? Just tell me what to find, you can’t do this one yet

3. A football is punted into the air. Its height in meters, h, is five by the equation
h = -4.9t2 + 24.5t + 1.
a. How high is the ball after 1.4 seconds?
b. Does the ball ever reach a height of 33 meters? How do you know?

c. When does the ball hit the ground? Just tell me what to find, you can’t do this one yet

4. A carnival attraction tests your strength by how far in the air you can drive a weight with
a hammer. If the weight reaches 15 feet, you win a prize. The equation h = -16t2 + 31t + 2
gives the height, in feet, and time, in seconds of the weight after it is hit.
a. How long is the weight in the air? Just tell me what to find, you can’t do this one yet

b. What was the weight’s maximum height?

c. Did you win a prize? Why or why not?

5. Your friend tosses a ball into the air. The equation h = -5t2 + 45t + 50 models the height,
h, of the ball t seconds after it was thrown.
a. How long was the ball in the air?

b. How high did the ball get?

c. When did the ball reach its highest point?