2009-10-18, 12:41 PM
How fast would a ball travel down a hill that follows a function (like f(x)=x^3-9x^2+27x-20) where x and y are both length? x being distance from the end point, y being the height, and y=0 being the ground. (not part of the 'hill') Assume the ball is let go at a point (x,y).
If it were a straight ramp, the velocity would be sine of the angle of elevation, but few hills in real life follow a straight line.
Would you some how combine the derivative of the hill's function with sine to get the angle at any given point, and work off of that? :f6:
If it were a straight ramp, the velocity would be sine of the angle of elevation, but few hills in real life follow a straight line.
Would you some how combine the derivative of the hill's function with sine to get the angle at any given point, and work off of that? :f6: