document.write( "Question 700936: vehicle a and vehicle b are 10 mi apart.vehicle a travels 20 mph. vehicle b travels 30 mph. veh a travels perpindicular to a line between veh a and veh b. both vehs start at same time. veh b must intercept veh a in shortest distance. what is the distance? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #432083 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! vehicle a and vehicle b are 10 mi apart.vehicle a travels 20 mph. \n" ); document.write( " vehicle b travels 30 mph. \n" ); document.write( "veh a travels perpendicular to a line between veh a and veh b. \n" ); document.write( " both vehs start at same time. veh b must intercept veh a in shortest distance. \n" ); document.write( " what is the distance? \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "The perpendicular paths to intercept form a right triangle, with a hypotenuse of 10 mi \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Find the travel time, then we can find the distance that b travels to intercept \n" ); document.write( "Let t = travel time \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Using pythag: a^2 + b^2 = c^2 \n" ); document.write( "(20t)^2 + (30t)^2 = 10^2 \n" ); document.write( "400t^2 + 900t^2 = 100 \n" ); document.write( "simplify, divide by 100 \n" ); document.write( "4t^2 + 9t^2 = 1 \n" ); document.write( "13t^2 = 1 \n" ); document.write( "t = \n" ); document.write( "t = .27735 hrs to intercept \n" ); document.write( "distance traveled by veh b \n" ); document.write( ".27735(30) = 8.32 mi \n" ); document.write( " |