During a baseball game, a player hits a ball while a bird is flying across the field. Let t be the time in seconds since the ball is hit and h be the height in feet. The height of the baseball over time is modeled by the equation h = –16t2 + 65t and the height of a bird over time is modeled by the equation h = 8t + 20. What do the intersection points of the equations represent?
Answer
A
the height of the bird and the ball when the ball and the bird are the same distance from the player
B
the height of the bird and the ball when the player hits the ball
C
the time when the height of the ball and the bird are the same
D
the time when the ball and the bird hit the ground
Explanation
An intersection occurs where the two equations have the same height at the same time. Here, that means the baseball and the bird are at the same height at a particular time. Choice C correctly describes the time when the ball and bird have the same height.
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