document.write( "Question 1105642: A plane leaves the airport and travels S 46 degrees E at 440 mph. Another plane leaves the same airport half an hour later and travels N 28 degrees E at 475 mph. How far apart are the planes 1.5 hours after the second plane leave the airport. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #720541 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! plane leaves the airport and travels S 46 degrees E at 440 mph. \n" ); document.write( " Another plane leaves the same airport half an hour later and travels N 28 degrees E at 475 mph. \n" ); document.write( " How far apart are the planes 1.5 hours after the second plane leave the airport. \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "find the angle between the paths of the two planes. \n" ); document.write( " Convert to true bearing, (ref to 0 degrees) \n" ); document.write( "S 46E: 180 - 46 = 134 degree \n" ); document.write( "N 28E: 28 degrees \n" ); document.write( "134 - 28 = 106 degrees is angle between the paths of the two planes \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "1.5 + .5 = 2 hrs is the flying time of the 1st plane \n" ); document.write( "then \n" ); document.write( "2(440) = 880 mi flown by the 1st plane \n" ); document.write( "and \n" ); document.write( "1.5(475) = 712.5 mi flown by the 2nd plane \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Use the law of cosines: a^2 = b^2 + c^2 - 2(b*c)*cos(A), where \n" ); document.write( "A = 106 degrees \n" ); document.write( "a = distance between the two planes \n" ); document.write( "b = 880 \n" ); document.write( "c = 712.5 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "a^2 = 880^2 + 712^2 - 2(880*712.5)*cos(106) \n" ); document.write( "I'll let you do the tedious math here, I got \n" ); document.write( "a = 1275.8 mi apart \n" ); document.write( " |