QUADRATICS REVISITED PROJECT

Part 1: Geysers

A geyser is a deep, narrow hole filled with water. The water near the bottom of the hole is heated by the

hot rocks found in the Earth. Gradually the heat at the bottom reaches far above the boiling point of water,

causing steam to form. The steam begins to build up pressure because it cannot escape into the air.

More water turns to steam and the pressure continues to grow until the steam breaks through the

surface with tremendous force. This force causes the water near the top of the hole to be thrown into the

air. Geysers are sometimes compared to volcanoes. The comparison is made, because the inner heat of

the Earth causes the geysers to erupt. They are different from volcanoes, because volcanoes erupt with

molten lava while geysers shoot forth hot water containing dissolved mineral matter.

In Exercises 1–3, use the following information.

A geyser sends a blast of boiling water high into the air. During the eruption, the height h (in feet) of the

watert seconds after being forced out from the ground could be modeled by h=−16 t 2+65 t
1. What is the initial velocity of the

boiling water?

The coefficient of t is the initial velocity in

our case that is 65 feets/sec

2. What is the maximum height of the

boiling water?

We use the formulae t= -b/2(a) where b is

coefficient of t (65) and a is coefficient of

t2 (-16) therefore tmax= -65/-2(16)=

2.o3125 s

Now calculating the height we get

h= -16 (2.03125)2 + 65(2.03125)=-

66.015625+132.03125=65.975 feets

3. How long is the boiling water in the

air? the boiling water will be in the air

until it hits the ground at which time h=0

therefore we have -16t2 +65t=0 which can

further be simplified as 2t (-8t +32.5)=0

hence 2t=0 or -8t+32.5=0 taking the

second equation to get -8t=-32.5

 t=32.5/8 =4.0625 seconds

In Exercises 4–6, use the following information.

Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park is probably the world’s most famous geyser. Old Faithful sends a

stream of boiling water into the air. During the eruption, the height h (in feet) of the water t seconds after

being forced out from the ground could be modeled by

2
h=−16 t +170 t

4. What is the initial velocity of the boiling

water?

The initial velocity is the coefficient of t

which is 170 feet/second

5. What is the maximum height of the

boiling water?

The maximum height is at time t=-b/2(a).

Where a and b are coefficients of t2 and t

respectively. hence t= -170/-2 (16)=5.3125

seconds

h= -16(5.3125)2+ 170(5.3125)=-

451.5625+903.125=451.5625 feets

6. How long is the boiling water in the air?

the water was in the air until it touched the

ground at which point h=o hence we have -

16t2+170t=0 simplify to 2t(-8t+85)=0

therefore 2t=0 or -8t+85=0 taking the second

equation we have -8t=85 hence t=85/8 =

10.625 seconds
Part 2: Measuring Precipitation

The most common instrument used to measure the amount of rain that falls in a certain place over a

specified length of time is a rain gauge. The gauge has two parts: one, a cylinder with a narrow tube

inside; and two, a funnel on top. The rain is measured when it falls into the funnel and down into the

tube. The area of the mouth of the funnel is ten times the area of the tube. For example, an inch of rain

that falls into the funnel would fill ten inches of the tube. A “specialized ruler” is used to measure the

amount of rain in the tube.

Current technology allows meteorologists to use radar in order to measure rainfall. This “specialized

radar” sends out radio waves that are reflected by raindrops. The “radio waves” reflected show the

amount and intensity of rainfall.

● If an amount of rainfall is too small to be measured, it is called “a trace of rain.”

 ● Rainfall from a trace to 0.10 inch per hour is considered “light rain,”

● 0.11 to 0.30 inch per hour is a moderate rain, and

● anything greater than 0.30 inch per hour is classified as a heavy rain.

Average annual rainfall amounts are vastly different around the world. Some factors that affect rainfall

are latitude, bodies of water, mountains, air currents, and cities. Close to the equator, heat from the sun

causes large amounts of moisture to evaporate into the air. But near the north pole and the south pole, it is

so cold that the air can hold very little to any moisture. Hawaii’s Mount Waialeale receives the greatest

amount of rainfall in the world; it receives an average of 460 inches of rainfall every year. Arica, Chile,

receives an average of 0.03 inch each year, which is the least amount of rainfall in the world.
Use the following information, in Exercises 1–3.

The normal monthly precipitation P(¿ inches) in Juneau, Alaska for each month of the year can be

approximated by the model

5 4 3 2
P=0.00053t −0.02157 t +0.2854 t −1.412 t + 2.19t +3.4 , where t=1 represents January.

t=1 p= 0.00053 (1)5 - 0.02157 (1)4 + 0.2854 (1)3-1.412(1)2 + 2.19 (1) +3.4 = 4.44236 inches

t=2 p= 0.00053 (2)5 - 0.02157 (2)4 + 0.2854 (2)3-1.412(2)2 + 2.19 (2) +3.4 = 4.08704 inches

t=3p= 0.00053 (3)5 - 0.02157 (3)4 + 0.2854 (3)3-1.412(3)2 + 2.19 (3) +3.4 = 3.3494 inches

t=4p= 0.00053 (4)5 - 0.02157 (4)4 + 0.2854 (4)3-1.412(4)2 + 2.19 (4) +3.4 = 2.8544 inches

t=5p= 0.00053 (5)5 - 0.02157 (5)4 + 0.2854 (5)3-1.412(5)2 + 2.19 (5) +3.4 =2.9 inches

t=6p= 0.00053 (6)5 - 0.02157 (6)4 + 0.2854 (6)3-1.412(6)2 + 2.19 (6) +3.4 = 3.52296 inches

t=7p= 0.00053 (7)5 - 0.02157 (7)4 + 0.2854 (7)3-1.412(7)2 + 2.19 (7) +3.4 =4.55234 inches

t=8p= 0.00053 (8)5 - 0.02157 (8)4 + 0.2854 (8)3-1.412(8)2 + 2.19 (8) +3.4 =5.24512 inches

t=9p= 0.00053 (9)5 - 0.02157 (9)4 + 0.2854 (9)3-1.412(9)2 + 2.19 (9) +3.4 = 6.0028 inches

t=10 p= 0.00053 (10)5 - 0.02157 (10)4 + 0.2854 (10)3-1.412(10)2 + 2.19 (10) +3.4 = 6.8 inches

t=11 p= 0.00053 (11)5 - 0.02157 (11)4 + 0.2854 (11)3-1.412(11)2 + 2.19 (11) +3.4 = 6.05606 inches

t=12 p= 0.00053 (12)5 - 0.02157 (12)4 + 0.2854 (12)3-1.412(12)2 + 2.19 (12) +3.4 = 3.12066 inches

1. Sketch a graph of the model for 1 ≤t ≤12.

2. From your graph, determine the month that has the greatest amount of precipitation and the least

amount of precipitation.

The month with the highest amount of precipitation is

October with 6.8

While the month with the least precipitation is

April with 2.8544

3. What is the normal annual precipitation in Juneau, Alaska? Round your result to two decimal places.

The normal annual precipitation is 52.93 inches