SOLUTION: Given Chicago is located at 42N and 88W and Detroit, MI is located at 42N and 83W. A driver leaves Chicago (42N, 88W) at 12pm and drives straight South at a speed of 70 miles per

Algebra.Com
Question 1135269: Given Chicago is located at 42N and 88W and Detroit, MI is located at 42N and 83W. A driver leaves Chicago (42N, 88W) at 12pm and drives straight South at a speed of 70 miles per hour. About what time will the driver arrive at a place located 35º15’N and 88W?
Answer by ikleyn(52803)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
1.  In this problem, the given coordinates of Detroit are IRRELEVANT and you can forget / (ignore) them - 

     it is EXCESSIVE and non-necessary data.



2.  In this problem, you can also forget about the fact that the Earth rotates about its axis (and about the Sun, too).



3.  The car moves straight South - it means that the car moves along the great circle of the Earthen sphere. 

    So, the distance from the starting point to the destination point is the arc of the great circle, which is

        Distance = Arc length = ,    (1)

    where R is the Earth radius (some mean, or average, value) and  is the angle in radians of the degree measure  (42° - 35°15’) = 6°45'.



4.  So, to solve the problem, you need

        - to convert 6°45' to radians;

        - to find from some source the Earth radius in miles;

        - then to calculate the distance (in miles) using formula (1);

        - then to divide the found distance by the given speed to get the time of how long the car moves;

        - then to add the found time to the reference time of 12 pm.


Having so clear instructions, you will be able to make the calculations on your own - I am sure (and I hope) !

Happy calculations !



RELATED QUESTIONS

Given Chicago is located at 42N and 88W and Detroit, MI is located at 42N and 83W. If... (answered by ikleyn)
If you leave Chicago (42N, 88W) at 12 pm and drive straight north at a speed of 65mph,... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
Leaving Chicago (42N, 88W) at 12pm and diving straight north at a speed of 65 miles per... (answered by stanbon)
If you drive from Chicago straight to the east to Detroit, MI (42N, 83W) at 70 miles per... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
paul leaves chicago and travels east at 50 mph. aaron leaves detroit at the same time... (answered by lwsshak3)
if a train leaves detroit at 10 pm(est)headed west toward chicago at 70 miles per hour... (answered by Greenfinch)
The distance from Cheveland to Chicago is 345mi. A train traveling 45 mi/hr.leaves... (answered by ikleyn)
Problem: A train leaves Chicago for Detroit going 60 mph. At the same time, on an... (answered by bucky)
write an equation and solve A car leaves Centralia for Chicago at the same time a... (answered by josgarithmetic)