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Ball kicked, find launch speed

Short answer

Use the projectile trajectory equation with x = 15 ft, y = -9 ft, θ = 30°, and g = 32.2 ft/s². Solving for initial speed gives 16.5 ft/s.

The ball at A is kicked such that θA=30∘\theta_A = 30^\circ. If it strikes the ground at B having co-ordinates x=15x = 15 ft and y=−9y = -9 ft, determine the speed at which it is kicked. [Figure: ball launched from A at angle θA\theta_A, landing at B which is xx to the right and yy below A.]

Treat the ball as a projectile. Use ft units with g=32.2 ft/s2g=32.2\ \text{ft/s}^2.

Equations of motion (origin at A)

x=(vAcos⁡30∘)t,y=(vAsin⁡30∘)t−12gt2x=(v_A\cos30^\circ)t,\qquad y=(v_A\sin30^\circ)t-\tfrac12 g t^{2}

At B: x=15x=15 ft, y=−9y=-9 ft. Eliminating tt:

y=xtan⁡θ−gx22vA2cos⁡2θy=x\tan\theta-\frac{g x^{2}}{2v_A^{2}\cos^{2}\theta} −9=15tan⁡30∘−32.2(15)22vA2cos⁡230∘-9=15\tan30^\circ-\frac{32.2(15)^{2}}{2v_A^{2}\cos^{2}30^\circ}

Since 32.2(15)2=724532.2(15)^2=7245 and 2cos⁡230∘=1.52\cos^2 30^\circ=1.5:

−9=8.660−72451.5 vA2=8.660−4830vA2 ⇒ 4830vA2=17.660-9=8.660-\frac{7245}{1.5\,v_A^{2}}=8.660-\frac{4830}{v_A^{2}}\ \Rightarrow\ \frac{4830}{v_A^{2}}=17.660 vA2=273.5 ⇒ vA=16.54 ft/sv_A^{2}=273.5\ \Rightarrow\ v_A=16.54\ \text{ft/s}

Check: t=1516.54cos⁡30∘=1.047t=\dfrac{15}{16.54\cos30^\circ}=1.047 s.

Answer: the ball is kicked at vA≈16.5v_A\approx16.5 ft/s (time of flight ≈1.05\approx1.05 s).

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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