Applications and Modeling

with Quadratic Equations

and Functions
 Geometry Problems
 Using the Pythagorean Theorem
 Height of a Projected Object
 Modeling with Quadratic Equations
and Functions
 Warm-Up: Application on Quadratic
Functions
1. Find two real numbers with a sum of 30
and a product that is as great as
possible.

2. Find two real numbers that their

difference is 10 and their product is
minimum.
 Your Turn!
Find two real numbers that satisfy the
conditions below.
1. Their sum is 26 and their product is
maximum.

2. Their difference is 6 and their product is

minimum.
 Examples
1. Find the dimensions of the largest
rectangular garden that can be enclosed
by 70 𝑚 of fencing materials.

2. A rectangular garden is to be fenced by a

farmer. One side of the garden is next to the
wall of the house and need not to be fenced.
Find the dimensions of the largest garden
that can be enclosed with 240 𝑚 of fencing
materials.
 Your Turn!
1. Find the dimensions of the largest
rectangular garden that can be enclosed
by 50 𝑚 of fencing materials.

2. A rectangular garden is to be fenced by a

farmer. One side of the garden is next to the
wall of the house and need not to be fenced.
Find the dimensions of the largest garden
that can be enclosed with 100 𝑚 of fencing
materials.
 Geometry Problems

Problem Solving When solving

problems that lead to quadratic equations,
we may get a solution that does not satisfy
the physical constraints of the problem.
For example if x represents a width and the
two solutions of the quadratic equation are
– 9 and 1, the value – 9 must be rejected
since a width must be a positive number.
 Example 1 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE VOLUME OF A BOX

A piece of machinery is capable of producing

rectangular sheets of metal such that the
length is three times the width. Equal-sized
squares measuring 5 in. on a side can be cut
from the corners so that their resulting piece
of metal can be shaped into an open box by
folding up the flaps. If specifications call for
the volume of the box to be 1435 in.3, what
should the dimensions of the original piece of
metal be?
 Example 1 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE VOLUME OF A BOX
Solution
Step 1 Read the problem. We must find the
dimensions of the original piece.
 Example 1 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE VOLUME OF A BOX
Solution
Step 2 Assign a variable. We know the length is
three times the width, so let x = width (in inches) and
thus 3x = the length.
The box is formed by cutting 5 + 5 = 10 in. from both
the length and the width.
3x
5

x – 10 5 5 3x – 10 55
3x – 10
x x – 10
5 5 55
 Example 1 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE VOLUME OF A BOX
Solution
Step 3 Write an equation. The formula for
the volume of a box is V = lwh.
Volume = length  width  height

1435  (3 x  10) ( x  10) (5)

Note that the dimensions of the box must be positive
numbers, so 3x – 10 and x – 10 must be greater than 0,
which implies 10 and
x x  10
3
 Example 1 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE VOLUME OF A BOX
Solution
Step 3 Write an equation. The formula for
volume of a box is V = lwh.
Volume = length  width  height

1435  (3 x  10) ( x  10) (5)

These are both satisfied when x > 10.

 Example 1 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE VOLUME OF A BOX
Solution
Step 4 Solve the equation.
1435  15 x  200 x  500
2
Multiply.

0  15 x  200 x  935
2
Subtract.

0  3 x  40 x  187
2
Divide by 5.

0  (3 x  11)( x  17) Factor.

 Example 1 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE VOLUME OF A BOX
Solution
Step 4 Solve the equation.

0  (3 x  11)( x  17) Factor.

3 x  11  0 or x  17  0 Zero-factor property

11
x or x  17 Solve.
3
A length
cannot be
negative.
 Example 1 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE VOLUME OF A BOX
Solution
Step 5 State the answer. Only 17
satisfies the restriction x > 10. Thus, the
dimensions of the original piece should be
17 in. by 3(17) = 51 in.
 Example 1 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE VOLUME OF A BOX
Solution
Step 6 Check. The length of the bottom of
the box is 51 – 2(5) = 41 in. The width is
17 – 2(5) = 7 in. The height is 5 in. (the
amount cut on each corner), so the volume
of the box is

V  lwh  41 7  5  1435 in.3 , as required.

 Using Pythagorean Theorem
Pythagorean theorem from geometry is used
in Example 2. The two sides that meet at
the right angle are the legs and the side
opposite the right angle is the hypotenuse.

Hypotenuse
Leg a c

Leg b
Pythagorean Theorem
In a right triangle, the sum of the
squares of the lengths of the legs is
equal to the square of the length of the
hypotenuse. Hypotenuse
Leg a c
a b c
2 2 2

Leg b
 Example 2 SOLVING A PROBLEM USING
THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM

Erik Van Erden finds a piece of

property in the shape of a right
triangle. He finds that the longer
leg is 20 m longer than twice the
length of the shorter leg. The
hypotenuse is 10 m longer than the
length of the longer leg. Find the
lengths of the sides of the
triangular lot.
 Example 2 SOLVING A PROBLEM USING
THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
Solution
Step 1 Read the problem. We must find the
lengths of the three sides.
Step 2 Assign a variable.
Let s = the length of the shorter leg (in meters).
Then 2s + 20 = length of the longer leg, and
(2s + 20) + 10 or 2s + 30 = the length of the
hypotenuse.
2s + 30
s

2s + 20
 Example 2 SOLVING A PROBLEM USING
THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
Solution
Step 3 Write an equation.

Be sure to
a 2
 b 2
 c 2
substitute
correctly here.

 (2s  20)  (2s  30)

2 2 2
s
Pythagorean theorem
 Example 2 SOLVING A PROBLEM USING
THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
Solution
Step 4 Solve the equation.

s  (4s  80s  400)  4s  120s  900

2 2 2

Remember the Remember the

middle term middle term
here. here.

Square the binomials.

 Example 2 SOLVING A PROBLEM USING
THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
Solution
Step 4 Solve the equation.
s 2  (4s 2  80s  400)  4s 2  120s  900
s  40s  500  0
2
Standard form

(s  50)(s  10)  0 Factor.

s  50  0 or s  10  0 Zero-factor property

s  50 or s  10 Solve.
 Example 2 SOLVING A PROBLEM USING
THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM
Solution
Step 5 State the answer. Since s represents
a length, – 10 is not reasonable. The lengths
of the sides of the triangular lot are 50 m, 2(50)
+ 20 = 120 m, and 2(50) + 30 = 130 m.

Step 6 Check. The lengths 50, 120, and 130

satisfy the words of the problem, and also
satisfy the Pythagorean theorem.
 BELL WORK

A bottle manufacturer has a daily

production cost of
2
𝐶 𝑥 = 1 600 − 10𝑥 + 0.25𝑥 .
How many bottles, 𝑥, should be
produced each day to have a
minimum cost 𝐶?
 Height of a Projected Object
If air resistance is neglected, the height s (in
feet) of an object projected directly upward from
an initial height of s0 feet, with initial velocity v0
feet per second is
s  16t  v 0t  s0 ,
2

where t is the number of seconds after the

object is projected. The coefficient of t 2, – 16,
is a constant based on the gravitational force of
Earth. This constant varies on other surfaces,
such as the moon and other planets.
 Example 3 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE HEIGHT OF A PROJECTILE
If a projectile is shot vertically upward from the
ground with an initial velocity of 100 ft per sec,
neglecting air resistance, its height s (in feet)
above the ground t seconds after projection is
given by
𝟐
𝒔 = −𝟏𝟔𝒕 + 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒕
a. After how many seconds will it be 50 ft
above the ground?
b. How long will it take for the projectile to
return to the ground?
 Example 3 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE HEIGHT OF A PROJECTILE

a. After how many seconds will it be 50 ft

above the ground?
Solution
We must find the values of t so that height s
is 50 ft. Let s = 50 in the given equation.
𝟓𝟎 = −𝟏𝟔𝒕𝟐 + 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒕
16t  100t  50  0
2
Standard form

8t 2  50t  25  0 Divide by 2.
 Example 3 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE HEIGHT OF A PROJECTILE

a. After how many seconds will it be 50 ft

above the ground?
Solution
8t  50t  25  0
2

Quadratic formula ( 50)  ( 50)2  4(8)(25)

t
2(8)
50  1700
t
16
 Example 3 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE HEIGHT OF A PROJECTILE

a. After how many seconds will it be 50 ft

above the ground?
Solution
50  1700
t
16
t  .55 or t  5.70

Use a calculator.
 Example 3 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE HEIGHT OF A PROJECTILE

a. After how many seconds will it be 50 ft

above the ground?
Solution
t  .55 or t  5.70

Both solutions are acceptable, since the

projectile reaches 50 ft twice: once on the
way up (after .55 sec) and once on the way
down (after 5.70 sec).
 Example 3 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE HEIGHT OF A PROJECTILE
b. How long will it take for the projectile to
return to the ground?
Solution When the projectile returns to the
ground, the height s will be 0 ft, so let s = 0 in
the given equation.
0  16t 2  100t
0   4t (4t  25) Factor.

 4t  0 or 4t  25  0 Zero-factor property

t  0 or 4t  25 Solve.
t  6.25
 Example 3 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
THE HEIGHT OF A PROJECTILE

b. When the projectile returns to the ground,

the height s will be 0 ft, so let s = 0 in the
given equation.
Solution
The first solution, 0, represents the time at
which the projectile was on the ground prior to
being launched, so it does not answer the
question. The projectile will return to the
ground 6.25 sec after it is launched.
A basketball player throws a ball vertically with an
initial velocity of 120 𝑓𝑡/sec. The distance of the ball
from the ground after 𝑡 seconds is given by the function
𝑆 𝑡 = – 16𝑡 2 + 120𝑡.
1. What is the distance of the ball from the ground
after 6 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠?
2. After how many seconds does the ball reach a
distance of 60 𝑓𝑡. from the ground?
3. How many seconds will it take for the ball to fall to
the ground?
4. Do you think the ball can reach the height of
160 𝑓𝑡.? Why? Why not?
Quadratic Models and Curve Fitting
Quadratic functions make good models for data sets
where the data either increases, levels off, and then
decreases, levels off, and then increases.

An application that models the path of the projectile is

s  t   16t  v 0t  s0 . 2
 Example 4 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
PROJECTILE MOTION
A ball is thrown upward from an initial height of
100 ft with an initial velocity of 80 ft per sec.
a. Give the function that describes the height
of the ball in terms of time t.
b. After how many seconds does the projectile
reach its maximum height? What is this
maximum height?
c. After how many seconds will the ball hit the
ground?
 Example 4 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
PROJECTILE MOTION
A ball is thrown upward from an initial height of
100 ft with an initial velocity of 80 ft per sec.
a. Give the function that describes the height
of the ball in terms of time t.

Solution Use the projectile height function

with v0 = 80 and s0 = 100.

s  t   16t  80t  100.

2
 Example 4 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
PROJECTILE MOTION
A ball is thrown upward from an initial height of
100 ft with an initial velocity of 80 ft per sec.
b. After how many seconds does the projectile
reach its maximum height? What is this
maximum height?
Solution Find the coordinates of the vertex
of the parabola. a = – 16 and b = 80
b 80
x   2.5
2a 2  16 
 Example 4 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
PROJECTILE MOTION
A ball is thrown upward from an initial height of
100 ft with an initial velocity of 80 ft per sec.
b. After how many seconds does the projectile
reach its maximum height? What is this
maximum height?
Solution Find the coordinates of the vertex
of the parabola. a = – 16 and b = 80
y  16  2.5   80  2.5   100
2
and
 200
After 2.5 sec the ball reaches its maximum
height of 200 ft.
 Example 4 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
PROJECTILE MOTION
A ball is thrown upward from an initial height of
100 ft with an initial velocity of 80 ft per sec.
c. After how many seconds will the ball hit the
ground?
Solution The height is zero when the ball
hits the ground. Find the positive solution…

16 x  80 x  100  0
2

80  80  4  16 100 

2
x
2  16 
 Example 4 SOLVING A PROBLEM INVOLVING
PROJECTILE MOTION
A ball is thrown upward from an initial height of
100 ft with an initial velocity of 80 ft per sec.
c. After how many seconds will the ball hit the
ground?
Solution
x  1.04 or x  6.04

The ball hits the ground after about 6.04 sec.