What is the Relevance of the Second Solution in a Quadratic Equation?

[iampaul]

Homework Statement

An alert hiker sees a boulder fall from a cliff. He notes that it takes 1.3 sec for the boulder to travel the last third of the fall. a.)Find the height H of the cliff. B.) If you found a quadratic equation of two solutions for a.) what is the relevance of the other one

Homework Equations

v²=v_o²+2gX
X=v_ot+0.5gt²

The Attempt at a Solution

v²=v_o²+2gX ;v_o=0;X=H/3
v²=2(9.8m/s²)(H/3)
v=sqrt(13.07m/s²H)

X=v_ot+0.5gt²
H/3=sqrt(13.07m/s²H)(1.3s)+8.281m
H=3.9ssqrt(13.07m/s²H)+8.281m
H-3.9ssqrt(13.07m/s²H)-8.281m=0
I just used my calculator to solve this quadratic equation
sqrt(H₁)=14.66m^0.5
H=214.9 which is the same with the book's answer
sqrt(H₂)=-0.56m^0.5
H₂=0.3136m
I can't answer B.) What is the relevance of H2
Please reply,, Thanks!

 

[PeterO]

Homework Statement

An alert hiker sees a boulder fall from a cliff. He notes that it takes 1.3 sec for the boulder to travel the last third of the fall. a.)Find the height H of the cliff. B.) If you found a quadratic equation of two solutions for a.) what is the relevance of the other one

Homework Equations

v²=v_o²+2gX
X=v_ot+0.5gt²

The Attempt at a Solution

v²=v_o²+2gX ;v_o=0;X=H/3
v²=2(9.8m/s²)(H/3)
v=sqrt(13.07m/s²H)

X=v_ot+0.5gt²
H/3=sqrt(13.07m/s²H)(1.3s)+8.281m
H=3.9ssqrt(13.07m/s²H)+8.281m
H-3.9ssqrt(13.07m/s²H)-8.281m=0
I just used my calculator to solve this quadratic equation
sqrt(H₁)=14.66m^0.5
H=214.9 which is the same with the book's answer
sqrt(H₂)=-0.56m^0.5
H₂=0.3136m
I can't answer B.) What is the relevance of H2
Please reply,, Thanks!

Firstly, were your answer(s) to the first part correct - I don't want to spend time proving you are correct/incorrect.