Given s=16t^2 where s=distance in feet travelled (downwards) since airborne with zero vertical velocity and zero air-resistance t=time in seconds after release
Here we're given s=144 feet => s=144=16t^2 => t^2=144/16=9 so t=3 Ans. after 3 seconds, the object hits the ground 144 ft. below.
If each ticket is $9.75, then you multiply $9.75 by how many tickets he's buying. In this case he's buying 3, so it's 9.75x3. The total for that is $29.25. You subtract $28.25 from $43 and that leaves him with $13.75