How Do You Calculate the Initial Velocity Components of a Projectile?

[Doc Al]

and b/c I am looking for how far its been displaced horizontally from the launch pt. i am looking for x?

That's right. You are looking for the value of x when y is maximum. Hint: When does it reach the maximum height?

 

[kara]

well the max height is 53 m, and it reaches that height when v = 0.0 m/s

 

[kara]

i plugged in all my values but get stuck at one point with a negative square root:

53 = -1/2(9.8)t^2

 

[kara]

if i multiply both sides by 2 to get rid of the 1/2 i get

106 = -(9.8) t^2

 

[Doc Al]

i plugged in all my values but get stuck at one point with a negative square root:

53 = -1/2(9.8)t^2

You left out part of that equation; it should be:
53 = v0t -1/2(9.8)t^2

Where v0 is the vertical component of initial velocity that you found earlier.