Determining the starting position when dealing with an inclined launch

Thread starter arhzz
Start date Oct 18, 2020
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Inclined Launch Position

AI Thread Summary

The discussion revolves around calculating the starting position of a cannonball launched at an incline towards a castle located on a hill. The user successfully derived the time of flight and the horizontal distance traveled, but is uncertain about how to find the initial horizontal position (x0) of the cannon. They are advised to express the height of the cannonball as a function of horizontal distance and to solve for the horizontal distance corresponding to the height of the castle battlement. The conversation emphasizes the importance of using mathematical expressions to derive the necessary values, with a focus on simplification and clarity in calculations. Ultimately, the user is encouraged to solve the quadratic equation derived from their height function to find the desired x0 position.

Oct 22, 2020

arhzz

kuruman said:

It could be that your teacher decided to give you full credit because your method was correct but the numerical answer was off for some silly reason like forgetting to square a quantity. That is why it is important to show all your work in as much detail as you can.

Very much possible, again thank you for your help!