Instructions:

This interactive application is based on the speed of Vladimir Poliakov, a Russian pole vaulter that set a world record in 1981 with a vault of 19 ft. and 3/4 in. Using the formula of h = –16t² + 36t, you can determine the pole vaulter’s height at different times. Since this is a quadratic function, there will be 2 different times for each height, except at the maximum height which occurs only once.

Click on the button next to "Time" and then "run" the application to see the effect of time at different heights. And don’t forget to do the original problem. It is problem number 98, located on page 456 of your textbook.

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