Question

A toy rocket is launched from the ground straight upward. The height of the rocket above the ground, in feet, is given by the equation h(t)=16t^2 + 64t, where t is the time in seconds. Determine the domain for this function in the given context. Explain your reasoning.

Answer 1

The rocket cannot penetrate the ground, in a contextual sense, therefore the roots of this equation should be the domain of this function. I'll let you find the roots of this quadratic equation (hint: use the quadratic formula: $\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a} \text{ for the equation } ax^2 + bx + c = 0$