{"id":"cb_question_bank:37a4c609-fe01-4fba-8544-6d0a71e0f360","source_id":"cb_question_bank","source_item_id":"37a4c609-fe01-4fba-8544-6d0a71e0f360","external_id":"e4d534f2-3a87-4887-9602-3feff6694dcb","ibn":null,"question_id":"271ffad7","program":"SAT","module":"math","domain_code":"P","domain":"Advanced Math","skill_code":"P.C.","skill":"Nonlinear functions","difficulty":"H","score_band":6,"answer_type":"mcq","answer_source":"key","layout_warning":null,"form_id":null,"module_number":null,"position":null,"stem":"A quadratic function models a projectile's height, in meters, above the ground in terms of the time, in seconds, after it was launched. The model estimates that the projectile was launched from an initial height of 7 meters above the ground and reached a maximum height of 51.1 meters above the ground 3 seconds after the launch. How many seconds after the launch does the model estimate that the projectile will return to a height of 7 meters?","stimulus":"","stimulus_html":null,"stem_html":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\">A quadratic function models a projectile's height, in meters, above the ground in terms of the time, in seconds, after it was launched. The model estimates that the projectile was launched from an initial height of <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground and reached a maximum height of <math alttext=\"51.1\"><mn>51.1</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> seconds after the launch. How many seconds after the launch does the model estimate that the projectile will return to a height of <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters?</p>","rationale_html":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Choice B is correct. It's given that a quadratic function models the projectile's height, in meters, above the ground in terms of the time, in seconds, after it was launched. It follows that an equation representing the model can be written in the form&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals a left parenthesis x minus h right parenthesis squared plus k\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mi>a</mi><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mi>h</mi></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>k</mi></math>, where&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced></math> is the projectile's estimated height above the ground, in meters, <math alttext=\"x\"><mi>x</mi>\n</math> seconds after the launch, <math alttext=\"a\"><mi>a</mi>\n</math> is a constant, and <math alttext=\"k\"><mi>k</mi>\n</math> is the maximum height above the ground, in meters, the model estimates the projectile reached <math alttext=\"h\"><mi>h</mi>\n</math> seconds after the launch. It's given that the model estimates the projectile reached a maximum height of <math alttext=\"51.1\"><mn>51.1</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> seconds after the launch. Therefore, <math alttext=\"k equals 51.1\"><mrow>\n\t<mi>k</mi>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mn>51.1</mn>\n</mrow>\n</math> and <math alttext=\"h equals 3\"><mrow>\n\t<mi>h</mi>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mn>3</mn>\n</mrow>\n</math>. Substituting <math alttext=\"51.1\"><mn>51.1</mn>\n</math> for <math alttext=\"k\"><mi>k</mi>\n</math> and <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> for <math alttext=\"h\"><mi>h</mi>\n</math> in the equation <math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals a left parenthesis x minus h right parenthesis squared plus k\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mi>a</mi><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mi>h</mi></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>k</mi></math>&nbsp;yields&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals a left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis squared plus 51.1\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mi>a</mi><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>51.1</mn></math>. It's also given that the model estimates that the projectile was launched from an initial height of <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground. Therefore, when <math alttext=\"x equals 0\"><mrow>\n\t<mi>x</mi>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mn>0</mn>\n</mrow>\n</math>,&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 7\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mn>7</mn></math>. Substituting <math alttext=\"0\"><mn>0</mn>\n</math> for <math alttext=\"x\"><mi>x</mi>\n</math> and <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> for&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced></math>&nbsp;in the equation&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals a left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis squared plus 51.1\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mi>a</mi><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>51.1</mn></math>&nbsp;yields&nbsp;<math alttext=\"7 equals a left parenthesis 0 minus 3 right parenthesis squared plus 51.1\"><mn>7</mn><mo>=</mo><mi>a</mi><msup><mfenced><mrow><mn>0</mn><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>51.1</mn></math>, or&nbsp;<math alttext=\"7 equals 9 a plus 51.1\"><mn>7</mn><mo>=</mo><mn>9</mn><mi>a</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>51.1</mn></math>. Subtracting <math alttext=\"51.1\"><mn>51.1</mn>\n</math> from both sides of this equation yields <math alttext=\"negative 44.1 equals 9 a\"><mrow>\n\t<mo>-</mo><mn>44.1</mn>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mrow>\n\t\t<mn>9</mn>\n\t\t<mi>a</mi>\n\t</mrow>\n</mrow>\n</math>. Dividing both sides of this equation by <math alttext=\"9\"><mn>9</mn>\n</math> yields <math alttext=\"negative 4.9 equals a\"><mrow>\n\t<mo>-</mo><mn>4.9</mn>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mi>a</mi>\n</mrow>\n</math>. Substituting <math alttext=\"negative 4.9\"><mo>-</mo><mn>4.9</mn>\n</math> for <math alttext=\"a\"><mi>a</mi>\n</math> in the equation&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals a left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis squared plus 51.1\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mi>a</mi><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>51.1</mn></math>&nbsp;yields&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals minus 4.9 left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis squared plus 51.1\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mo>-</mo><mn>4.9</mn><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>51.1</mn></math>. Therefore, the equation&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals minus 4.9 left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis squared plus 51.1\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mo>-</mo><mn>4.9</mn><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>51.1</mn></math>&nbsp;models the projectile's height, in meters, above the ground <math alttext=\"x\"><mi>x</mi>\n</math> seconds after it was launched. The number of seconds after the launch that the model estimates that the projectile will return to a height of <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters is the value of <math alttext=\"x\"><mi>x</mi>\n</math> when&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals 7\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mn>7</mn></math>. Substituting <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> for&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced></math>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<math alttext=\"f left parenthesis x right parenthesis equals minus 4.9 left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis squared plus 51.1\"><mi>f</mi><mfenced><mi>x</mi></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mo>-</mo><mn>4.9</mn><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>51.1</mn></math>&nbsp;yields&nbsp;<math alttext=\"7 equals minus 4.9 left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis squared plus 51.1\"><mn>7</mn><mo>=</mo><mo>-</mo><mn>4.9</mn><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>51.1</mn></math>. Subtracting <math alttext=\"51.1\"><mn>51.1</mn>\n</math> from both sides of this equation yields&nbsp;<math alttext=\"negative 44.1 equals minus 4.9 left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis squared\"><mo>-</mo><mn>44.1</mn><mo>=</mo><mo>-</mo><mn>4.9</mn><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup></math>. Dividing both sides of this equation by <math alttext=\"negative 4.9\"><mo>-</mo><mn>4.9</mn>\n</math> yields&nbsp;<math alttext=\"9 equals left parenthesis x minus 3 right parenthesis squared\"><mn>9</mn><mo>=</mo><msup><mfenced><mrow><mi>x</mi><mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></mfenced><mn>2</mn></msup></math>. Taking the square root of both sides of this equation yields two equations: <math alttext=\"3 equals x minus 3\"><mrow>\n\t<mn>3</mn>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mrow>\n\t\t<mi>x</mi>\n\t\t<mo>-</mo>\n\t\t<mn>3</mn>\n\t</mrow>\n</mrow>\n</math> and <math alttext=\"negative 3 equals x minus 3\"><mrow>\n\t<mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mrow>\n\t\t<mi>x</mi>\n\t\t<mo>-</mo>\n\t\t<mn>3</mn>\n\t</mrow>\n</mrow>\n</math>. Adding <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> to both sides of the equation <math alttext=\"3 equals x minus 3\"><mrow>\n\t<mn>3</mn>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mrow>\n\t\t<mi>x</mi>\n\t\t<mo>-</mo>\n\t\t<mn>3</mn>\n\t</mrow>\n</mrow>\n</math> yields <math alttext=\"6 equals x\"><mrow>\n\t<mn>6</mn>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mi>x</mi>\n</mrow>\n</math>. Adding <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> to both sides of the equation <math alttext=\"negative 3 equals x minus 3\"><mrow>\n\t<mo>-</mo><mn>3</mn>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mrow>\n\t\t<mi>x</mi>\n\t\t<mo>-</mo>\n\t\t<mn>3</mn>\n\t</mrow>\n</mrow>\n</math> yields <math alttext=\"0 equals x\"><mrow>\n\t<mn>0</mn>\n\t<mo>=</mo>\n\t<mi>x</mi>\n</mrow>\n</math>. Since <math alttext=\"0\"><mn>0</mn>\n</math> seconds after the launch represents the time at which the projectile was launched, <math alttext=\"6\"><mn>6</mn>\n</math> must be the number of seconds the model estimates that the projectile will return to a height of <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Alternate approach: It's given that a quadratic function models the projectile's height, in meters, above the ground in terms of the time, in seconds, after it was launched. It's also given that the model estimates that the projectile was launched from an initial height of <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground and reached a maximum height of <math alttext=\"51.1\"><mn>51.1</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> seconds after the launch. Since the model is quadratic, and quadratic functions are symmetric, the model estimates that for any given height less than the maximum height, the time the projectile takes to travel from the given height to the maximum height is the same as the time the projectile takes to travel from the maximum height back to the given height. Thus, since the model estimates the projectile took <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> seconds to travel from <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground to its maximum height of <math alttext=\"51.1\"><mn>51.1</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground, the model also estimates the projectile will take <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> more seconds to travel from its maximum height of <math alttext=\"51.1\"><mn>51.1</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground back to <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters above the ground. Thus, the model estimates that the projectile will return to a height of <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> seconds after it reaches its maximum height, which is <math alttext=\"6\"><mn>6</mn>\n</math> seconds after the launch.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Choice A is incorrect. The model estimates that <math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math> seconds after the launch, the projectile reached a height of <math alttext=\"51.1\"><mn>51.1</mn>\n</math> meters, not <math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math> meters.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.</p>","correct_answer":["B"],"has_media":false,"has_mathml":true,"has_table":false,"source_created_at":"2023-08-02T20:25:59.825000+00:00","source_updated_at":"2023-08-02T20:25:59.825000+00:00","options":[{"label":"A","content_html":"<p><math alttext=\"3\"><mn>3</mn>\n</math></p>","ord":0},{"label":"B","content_html":"<p><math alttext=\"6\"><mn>6</mn>\n</math></p>","ord":1},{"label":"C","content_html":"<p><math alttext=\"7\"><mn>7</mn>\n</math></p>","ord":2},{"label":"D","content_html":"<p><math alttext=\"9\"><mn>9</mn>\n</math></p>","ord":3}],"attribution":{"source_id":"cb_question_bank","source_name":"College Board digital SAT question bank (community dump)","rights_holder":"College Board","canonical_url":"https://satsuitequestionbank.collegeboard.org/","retrieved_from":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mdn522/sat-question-bank/main/data/cb-digital-questions.json","attribution":"SAT practice questions © College Board, from the official SAT Suite Question Bank. Retrieved via the community dump at github.com/mdn522/sat-question-bank.","disclaimer":"SAT® and PSAT/NMSQT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, does not sponsor, and does not endorse this project.","license":"College Board copyright; source repository carries no licence. Local use only.","redistributable":false,"item_count":2017}}