SOLUTION: I don't know if this is the right topic? Question: A stationary car, a, is passed by car b moving with a uniform velocity of 25m/s. Five seconds later, car a starts moving with

Question 997244: I don't know if this is the right topic?
Question: A stationary car, a, is passed by car b moving with a uniform velocity of 25m/s. Five seconds later, car a starts moving with a constant acceleration of 2m/s^2 in the same direction.
Construct a pair of simultaneous equations and plot on a graph using a spreadsheet to find how long it will take car a to draw level.
I have tried to do this question but I don't know how to work out a pair of simultaneous equations I have got a quadratic . Not sure how to put that into a spreadsheet to make a graph. I used the equation and substituted the values from car a and car b in and came up with 2 formulas for car a and I then made them equal to each other and subtracted 5 seconds of car a making it due to it starting 5 seconds later. This is how I came to the equation
Answer by KMST(5328) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You almost solved it, but not the way the problem specified.
With = time in seconds from the moment car B passes car A
The distance from the point where car B passed car A is
for car B (for , because we do not know what car B was doing before), and
for car A for .
(Of course, for because car A was not moving then).
So when A is level with B again, , and
--->---> .
The solutions to that equation, using the infamous quadratic formula are
.
Since , it is not a solution to our problem.
The solution to our problem is

(You had a little problem with and signs, but I make those mistakes sometimes, so that proves that we are both human).

WHAT THE TEACHER WANTS (I think):
Here is how I would answer if it was my homework.
= time in seconds from the moment car B passes car A.
for is the distance traveled by car A since B passes it.
(for is the distance traveled by car B after it passes car A.
So, for , the system of simultaneous equations that describes the situation in the problem is
.
I used Microsoft Excel to tabulate and plot as shown below:

RELATED QUESTIONS
Two cars are moving at constant velocity to the right. Initially (at time t=0) car A is... (answered by josgarithmetic)

Two cars are moving at constant velocity to the right. Initially (at time t=0) car A is... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

Topic: Similarities (I don't know if proofs is the right section) Circle A has a radius... (answered by MathLover1,ikleyn)

CAR A is traveling with uniform velocity of 30m/s. at the instant it passes car B at... (answered by scott8148)

object A and B with the same mass m=2kg undergo a direct central impact. Before the... (answered by ikleyn)

A car is initially stationary. It has a constant acceleration of 2.0 ms^-2. a. Calculate (answered by ikleyn)

A car with a mass of 1,200 kilograms is moving around a circular curve at a uniform... (answered by Alan3354)