A fair amount of effort has been spent on the formulation of a simple, preferably noncalculus-based, solution for the maximum range,Rmax, of the projectile fired with speed R0 from an elevation y0. Here is a solution along the lines of the textbook treatment of the projectile motion.

If the projectile is fired from the point (x0=0,y0) at an angle θ with respect to the x-axis, its trajectory is described by

(1)

With the observation that the projectile hits the ground at y=0, the relation between the firing angle and the range of the projectile, R=x(y=0), is given by

AAPT members receive access to The Physics Teacher and the American Journal of Physics as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.