Question

The free throw line in basketball is 4.57 m (15 ft) from the basket, which is 3.05 m (10 ft) above the floor. A player standing on the free throw line throws the ball with an initial speed of 7.40 m/s, releasing it at a height of 2.56 m above the floor. At what angle above the horizontal must the ball be thrown to exactly hit the basket? Note that most players will use a large initial angle rather than a flat shot because it allows for a larger margin of error.

Answer 1

Given,

Horizontal range ,X=4.57m

vertical distance,Y=3.05m

Height at which the ball is released,h=2.56m

speed,u = 7.40 m/s

The equation for projectile motion is given by,

The angle above the horizontal must the ball be thrown to exactly hit the basket , =