document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=221740>Question 221740</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Avoiding a collision. A car is traveling on a road that<BR>\n" );
document.write( "is perpendicular to a railroad track. When the car is<BR>\n" );
document.write( "30 meters from the crossing, the car’s new collision<BR>\n" );
document.write( "detector warns the driver that there is a train 50 meters<BR>\n" );
document.write( "from the car and heading toward the same crossing. How<BR>\n" );
document.write( "far is the train from the crossing? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #166230 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=rapaljer><B>rapaljer(4671)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=rapaljer><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=rapaljer><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=166230\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let x = distance of the train from the intersection.  The distance of the car from the railroad crossing is 30 meters, and the direct distance from the car to the train is 50 meters.  Notice that this picture (if you can see it!) is a right triangle, with the hypotenuse = 50 meters, the legs being x and 30.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "By the Theorem of Pythagoras, a^2 + b^2 = c^2, where c is the hypotenuse.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x^2 + 30^2 = 50^2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 + 900=2500<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 = 1600\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Take sthe square root of each side:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=+0%2B-sqrt%281600%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=+0%2B-sqrt%281600%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Reject negative answer, <BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=+40+ ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=+40+\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > meters.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "R^2\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Dr. Robert J. Rapalje, Retired<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Seminole State College of Florida<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Altamone Springs Campus </SPAN>\n" );
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