Write a program that stimulates a bouncing ball by computing its height in feet

Question

Write a program that stimulates a bouncing ball by computing its height in feet at each second as time passes on a simulated clock. At time zero, the ball begins at height zero and has an initial velocity supplied by the user. (An initial velocity of at least 100 feet per second is a good choice.) After each second, change the height by adding the current velocity; then subtract 32 from the velocity. If the new height is less than zero, multiply both the height and the velocity by -0.5 to simulate the bounce. Stop at the fifth bounce. The output from your program should have the following form:

Enter the initial velocity of the ball: 100
Time: 0 Height: 0.0
Time: 1 Height 100.0
Time: 2 Height 168.0
Time: 3 Height 204.0
Time: 4 Height 208.0
Time: 5 Height 180.0
Time: 6 Height 120.0
Time: 7 Height 28.0
Bounce !
Time: 8 Height 48.0

Explanation / Answer

I understand declaring variables (the easy part), but I'm having trouble making my loop, what should I put in the loop?

while (bounces < 5) {
// output stuff
// calculate new height
if (height < 0) {
// change velocity
// recalculate height
System.out.println("Bounce !");
bounces++;
}
// decrease velocity
time++;
}

in that loop, what should really go in there?

// calculate new height
height = height + velocity;
// change velocity
velocity = -0.5 * velocity;
// recalculate height
height = -0.5*height;
// decrease velocity
velocity = velocity - 32;

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