A student sits atop a platform a distance h above the ground. He throws a large object horizontally with a speed . A wind blowing parallel to the ground gives the object a constant horizontal acceleration with magnitude a. This results in the object reaching the ground directly under the student. Determine the height in terms of , and . Ignore the effect of air resistance on the vertical motion.
Easy Math Editor
This discussion board is a place to discuss our Daily Challenges and the math and science related to those challenges. Explanations are more than just a solution — they should explain the steps and thinking strategies that you used to obtain the solution. Comments should further the discussion of math and science.
When posting on Brilliant:
*italics*
or_italics_
**bold**
or__bold__
paragraph 1
paragraph 2
[example link](https://brilliant.org)
> This is a quote
\(
...\)
or\[
...\]
to ensure proper formatting.2 \times 3
2^{34}
a_{i-1}
\frac{2}{3}
\sqrt{2}
\sum_{i=1}^3
\sin \theta
\boxed{123}
Comments
Since there is no initial velocity, h=21gt2(1).
Since the object reaches directly under the student, s=0=ut+21(−a)t2(acceleration is negative as it is in the opposite direction) or 0=u−21at or t=a2u(2).
Substituting the value of (2) into (1) we get h=a22gu2.