Example 2

An ecologist drops a data-collection buoy into a river from a bridge. With what velocity does the buoy hit the river surface if the acceleration due to gravity has a magnitude of about 32 feet per second squared and the bridge is 100 feet above the surface of the river? The formula relating an object’s acceleration, distance, and velocity is , where is the acceleration, is the height, and is the final velocity in feet per second.
  1. Rewrite the given formula as a radical function.
  2. Assign signs to the constants given in the problem, and explain the choice of signs so that the real-world conditions of the problem are met.
  3. Use the radical function and the defined constants to find the value of .
This applet is provided by Walch Education as supplemental material for their mathematics programs. Visit www.walch.com for more information.