The function relating the height of an object off the ground to the time spent falling is a quadratic relationship. Travis drops a tennis ball from the top of an office building 90 meters tall. Three seconds later, the ball lands on the ground. After 2 seconds, how far is the ball off the ground?

Because the ball is dropped, it starts from rest, so the distance it falls is proportional to the square of the time. In 3 seconds it falls 90 meters; in 2 seconds it falls 90 × (2²/3²) = 40 meters. Its height above the ground is therefore 90 − 40 = 50 meters, choice C.

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