[OT] Simple math considered physics; turns out it's fun, not harmful

[Greg Rundlett]

I really like the indoor batting facility in Salisbury, MA (Extra
Innings).  I wondered how 'fast' the fast cage was.  It seemed really
fast and has taken me a few visits to get to the point where I can hit
the ball.  I asked today how fast the machine was.  The friendly staff
person told me it pitches at 50mph and the machine is 33ft. from the
plate.  A regular pitcher's mound is 60.5 ft from the plate.  He said
if I have some friends who know physics I could figure out how fast
that is in the big leagues.  I'm not making fun of the guy, but
physics isn't involved in solving the problem, just regular math.

nb: there are 5,280 feet / mile

spoiler: the answer is below.  If you want to figure it out for
yourself, stop here for a bit.













anser below.
















anser below.












'fast' batting cage speed
50 miles / 1 hour = 264,000 feet / 3,600 seconds  = 73.333 feet / second
X = elapsed time to home plate =
X seconds / 33 feet = 1 second / 73.333 feet
73.333X = 33
X = .45 seconds

Y = Big League pitch speed =
60.5 feet / .45 seconds = Y feet / 1 second
Y = 134.444 feet / second * 3600 / 5280 = 91.66 mph


That's fast.  It's also faster than the guy said.  He said it was
supposed to be somewhere in the 70 mph range.
Perhaps the numbers are off.  There is another 'VERY fast' cage that
supposedly throws 60mph and is slightly further away (like 33.5 feet).

I don't know whether I should be happy (I am) that I can hit the
equivalent of a 91mph fastball.  Or, if I should be sad that an
average person might think that there is physics rather than math
involved.

-- 
A: Yes.
> Q: Are you sure?
>> A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
>>> Q: Why is top posting annoying in email?