Algebra, Quadratic Applications

Abandoned mines frequently fill with water. Before an abandoned mine can be reopened, the water must be pumped out. The size of pump required depends on the depth of the mine. If pumping out a mine that is D feet deep requires a pump that pumps a minimum of (D^2/25)+ 4D – 250 gallons per minute, pumping out a mine that is 150 feet deep would require a pump that pumps a minimum of how many gallons per minute?

• 362

• 500

• 800

• 1250

• 1750

A fountain shoots water in an arc over a lake that can be modeled by the graph of the equation y= -0.4x² + 8x where x is the horizontal distance (in feet) from the fountain base and y is the height (in feet) above the river.  How high does the water go?

• It goes 11.78 feet high

• It goes 20 feet high

• It goes 40 feet high

• It goes 10 feet high

A raft is dropped from a helicopter 256 feet in the air above the ocean.  Its approximate height, h, after t seconds is given by the function h(t) = -16t² + 256.  How many seconds did it take the raft to hit the water? 

• -4

• 2

• 4

• 8

What is the initial (starting) height of an object following this path?  h(t) = -16t² +20t + 6

• -16 feet 

• 0 feet

• 20 feet 

• 6 feet 

A rock is dropped from a bridge 320 ft. above a river. The pathway that the rock takes can be modeled by the equation h = -16t² + 320. How long will it take for the rock to reach the river (i.e. hit the "ground")?

• 2.5 sec

• 3.5 sec

• 4.5 sec

• 3.8 sec

Fireworks are fired from the roof of a 100-foot building. The equation h = -16t² +84t + 100 models the height, h, of the fireworks at any given time, t. How high do the fireworks get?

• 2.625

• 6.25

• 100

• 200

• 210.25

If I want to find out when an object hits the ground, I should _________.

• Use x = (-b/2a) as my answer.

• Set my equation = 0 and solve.

• Replace x with 0 and evaluate.

• Find the y-coordinate of the vertex.

If I want to see the initial height of an object, I should _____________.

• Substitute x = 0 into the equation and evaluate.

• Use x = (-b /2a) as my answer.

• Find the y-coordinate of the vertex. 

• Set my equation = 0 and solve.

Which one are we looking for?

Elliot wants to know how high the soccer ball will get if he kicks it straight up in the air.

• x at vertex

• y at vertex

• positive zero

• y-intercept

Which one are we looking for?

Jaiden wanted to know the initial height of a baseball when it was hit at home plate.

• x at vertex

• y at vertex

• positive zero

• y-intercept