Solving the Mystery of the Pigeon-Seeking Fall: Acceleration Calculations

[GuitarHero]

Homework Statement

A very silly person, intent on catching pigeons on the roof of an apartment building, trips and falls a distance of 44.6 m. She lands on a metal garbage can, crushing it to a depth of 0.422 m and walks away without having been seriously hurt. What acceleration did she experience during the collision?

Homework Equations

(see solution attempt)
and
d=v₁t+1/2at²

The Attempt at a Solution

This is what I have so far for the first part of the problem (her acceleration, velocity, and position when she is free falling for 44.6m):
a=-9.81
v=-9.81t
d=-4.905t²+44.6

But I'm not sure how to factor in the acceleration of her crushing the garbage can...

Any help would be awesome!

 

[rock.freak667]

Conservation of energy would be better for this problem

Her gravitational pe is converted into the work done in crushing the can to the depth of 0.422m

 

[GuitarHero]

Conservation of energy would be better for this problem

Her gravitational pe is converted into the work done in crushing the can to the depth of 0.422m

But wouldn't I need to know the original size of the garbage can to calculate the work required to crush it?

 

[rock.freak667]

But wouldn't I need to know the original size of the garbage can to calculate the work required to crush it?

I don't think you would, the can is crushed to that depth d, so W=Fd.