Thread: Function of (x) word problem

A sporting airplane is flying such that its height varies with time in accordance with the formula
y = 10 + 3/(t0 + t)2, whereas its horizontal distance varies with time as x = (t0 + t)2, where t is in seconds, and x and y are in metres, t0 = 1 sec.


(a) Find the trajectory of the airplane y as a function of x.

(b) What is the function, describing the trajectory?

In each formula make t the subject and put your answers equal to one another.

Originally Posted by GAVREED2

A sporting airplane is flying such that its height varies with time in accordance with the formula
y = 10 + 3/(t0 + t)2, whereas its horizontal distance varies with time as x = (t0 + t)2, where t is in seconds, and x and y are in metres, t0 = 1 sec.


(a) Find the trajectory of the airplane y as a function of x.

(b) What is the function, describing the trajectory?

You have and .

Surely you can see what to substitute into the first equation...

My method works but longer than necessary here. See ProveIt's reply for the best way.

Thanks very much for both of your input!!