document.write( "Question 213518: A sailboat leavea the harbor traveling at 36mph.four hours later ,a motorboat begins to pursue thesailboat at the speed of 60mph. a. How long will it take the motorboat to catch up to the sailboat ? b. How far from the harbor will they meet? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #161422 by josmiceli(19441) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Assume I have a stopwatch and I start it
\n" ); document.write( "when the motorboat leaves.
\n" ); document.write( "The sailboat has got a headstart of
\n" ); document.write( " $\"36%2A4+=+144\"$ mi
\n" ); document.write( "When I start the stopwatch, they will both
\n" ); document.write( "travel for the same amount of time, but the motorboat
\n" ); document.write( "has to go $\"144\"$ mi farther
\n" ); document.write( "For the sailboat,
\n" ); document.write( " $\"d+=+36t\"$
\n" ); document.write( "For the motorboat,
\n" ); document.write( " $\"d+%2B+144+=+60t\"$
\n" ); document.write( "By substitution:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"36t+%2B+144+=+60t\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"24t+=+144\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"t+=+6\"$ hrs
\n" ); document.write( "The motorboat catches the sailboat in 6 hrs
\n" ); document.write( " $\"d+=+36t\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"d+=+36%2A6\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"d+=+216\"$ mi
\n" ); document.write( "This is how far the sailboat goes after I start
\n" ); document.write( "the stopwatch. The distance from the harbor is
\n" ); document.write( "360 mi
\n" ); document.write( " $\"144+%2B+216+=+360\"$
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

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