Stephanie Ortiz

Mr. Lau
Algebra 2A, Period 3
26 February 2017
Parabolic Paths of Olympic Sports

There are many sports that display a parabola. I chose to do this project on basketball

because it is a popular sport that I would like to investigate on. As a person throws the ball

properly towards the hoop a parabola is displayed.

I placed a picture of a man throwing a basketball towards a hoop on a graph where the x-

axis represents the distance the ball has traveled and y-axis representing the height in feet the ball

has reached. The model of the parabolic shape of motion relates to the sport because the motion

of the basketball as it is thrown creates a u-shape, therefore giving us a parabola.

The parabola form by the motion of the parabola forms maximum. As the ball is being

thrown up, the height increases and as it goes down the height decreases. This is significant

because we can see the motion of the ball by looking at the graph. The zeros on my graph are (4,

0) and (10, 0). Knowing the zeros is important because the starting and ending point of the ball

can be identified.

When I chose the picture for my graph, the first step I took is finding the function. First, I

identified the axis of symmetry and the vertex which was displayed on my graph. Second, I used

the given information to create a quadratic function written in vertex form. As a result I got

f(x)=-(x-7)^2 +9 (^2 means it is squared). Once I got my equation in vertex form I proceeded to

write my equation in standard form where I got x^2+14x-40=0.

 Using the equation that is written in standard form I solve through all four methods which

include the graphing, factoring, quadratic formula, and completing the square method. These

four methods gave me the (solutions/roots/x-intercepts) (4, 0) and (10, 0). My most favorite

method is the factoring method because I find it very simple. My least favorite method is

completing the square because I find it complicated.

It is important to find the function of a graph because without it you wont be able to find

the x-intercepts and know how wide your graph opens. The graph would be useless. Take my

graph for example. Without the function we wouldnt know where the ball started, where it

ended, and the height it went up to. Parabolas are present in our everyday lives even though we

might not notice it.