SOLUTION: I hope someone can help me. I do not understand word problems and I need it worked out. Please help me. Avoiding a collision. A car is traveling on a road that is perpendicular

Question 380439: I hope someone can help me. I do not understand word problems and I need it worked out. Please help me.
Avoiding a collision. A car is traveling on a road that
is perpendicular to a railroad track. When the car is
30 meters from the crossing, the car�s new collision
detector warns the driver that there is a train 50 meters
from the car and heading toward the same crossing. How
far is the train from the crossing?

Thank you!
Found 3 solutions by richard1234, mananth, rfer:
Answer by richard1234(7193)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
We see that 30 meters, d meters, and 50 meters form the sides of a right triangle (d is the distance from the train to the crossing) and 50 meters is the hypotenuse.
If you already know the 3-4-5 triple you can easily conclude that d = 40 meters. Otherwise we can set up the equation using the Pythagorean theorem:

Answer by mananth(16946)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A car is traveling on a road that
is perpendicular to a railroad track. When the car is
30 meters from the crossing, the car�s new collision
detector warns the driver that there is a train 50 meters
from the car and heading toward the same crossing. How
far is the train from the crossing?
...
The car, the train & the crossing are at right angle at any given time.
So it is a right triangle situation
..
distance between car & train = 50 meters
distance between car & crossing = 30 meters
..
apply pythagoras theorem
train to crossing be x m
..
x^2+30^2=50^2
x^2+900=2500
x^2=2500-900
x^2=1600
x= +/- 40
...
so x = 40 meters, distance of car from crossing.

m.ananth@hotmail.ca
Answer by rfer(16322)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Here is something to just put in your memory for ever.
This is a clasic 3, 4, 5 triangle.
The train is 40 meters away from the intersection.
Use c^2=a^2+b^2 to calculate.
50^2=30^2+b^2
2500=900+b^2
1600=b^2
sqrt 1600=40 meters
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