Oh, I read the problem way too fast! How silly of me— thanks for clarifying, I got both parts of the problem right using the kinematic equations with only original velocity, acceleration, and distance. Thanks for pointing out my mistake!
Homework Statement
A 52.2 kg pole-vaulter falls from rest from a height of 3.6 m onto a foam-rubber pad. The pole-vaulter comes to rest 0.34 s after landing on the pad.
(a) Calculate the athlete's velocity just before reaching the pad.
(b) Calculate the constant force exerted on the...