Ms.

Anton
 Texas Knowledge and Skills
(b) Knowledge and skills
(1) Mathematical process standards. The student uses
mathematical processes to acquire and demonstrate
mathematical understanding. The student is expected to:
(B) use a problem-solving model that incorporates analyzing
given information, formulating a plan or strategy,
determining a solution, justifying the solution, and evaluating
the problem solving process and the reasonableness of the
solution;
A rubber ball rebounds to half the height it drops. If the ball is
dropped from a rooftop 18 m above the ground, what is the
total distance traveled by the time it hits the ground the third
time?

a.) 31.5 m
b.) 40.5 m
c.) 45 m
d.) 63 m
The first thing you do when you read the problem is look for key
words that will help you solve the problem.
The word problem states that the ball rebounds to half of the
height it drops. If the ball dropped from the rooftop at 18 m
above the ground, this means that the second time the ball
bounced half of 18 m. In this problem we are trying to figure
out the distance the ball traveled by the time it hit the floor the
third time.

Height the ball is dropped at the first time = 18m

Ball rebounds = half of the height it drops
 The rubber ball was dropped 18m above the ground.
The ball rebounds half of 18m (18 2) (separate 18 into 2 groups)
When 18 is separated into 2 groups it equals 9 (18 2 = 9)

18 m

9m
 The new height that the ball is now being dropped at is 9m
The ball rebounds half of 9m (92)
When 9m is divided into 2 (half) it is 4.5m (9 2 = 4.5)

9m

4.5 m
 The ball was dropped at 4.5m above the ground the third time.

4.5m
 1st bounce: rooftop to the ground plus the rebound (18m + 9m)
2nd bounce: 9m plus the 4.5 rebound (9m + 4.5m)
3rd bounce: 4.5m

To find the total distance the rubber ball traveled when it hit the
ground the third time, we should add

18 + 9 + 9 + 4.5 + 4.5
A rubber ball rebounds to half the height it drops. If the ball
is dropped from a rooftop 18 m above the ground, what is
the total distance traveled by the time it hits the ground the
third time?

a.) 31.5 m
b.) 40.5 m
c.) 45 m
d.) 63 m