SOLUTION: Lafe is in his 4*4 300 miles due east of a car driven by shannell and is traveling due west at 30 mph. Shannell is speeding at 60 mph due north. At what time are they closest to ea

Question 486932: Lafe is in his 4*4 300 miles due east of a car driven by shannell and is traveling due west at 30 mph. Shannell is speeding at 60 mph due north. At what time are they closest to each other.
I know this one is a minimizing problem and i tried to draw a picture of the situation but it is not making much sense.
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Lafe is in his 4*4 300 miles due east of a car driven by shannell and is traveling due west at 30 mph.
Shannell is speeding at 60 mph due north.
At what time are they closest to each other.
:
let x = travel time of both vehicles
:
This is right triangle problem c = , where
c = distance between the cars
a = 60t, 4by4 travel distance
b = (300-30t) travel distance from a point due south of the 4by4
:
The easiest way to solve this enter/plot this equation in your Ti83 or equiv
y =
looks like this
:

where distance between the cars are on the y axis and the time in hrs on the x axis. Actual minimum (from my Ti83) x = 2 hrs, y ~ 268 mi
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