SOLUTION: Two cyclists A and B leave X simultaneously at 120° to each other, with constant speeds of 12m/s and 16m/s respectively. Find the rate at which the distance between them is changin

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Question 1105903: Two cyclists A and B leave X simultaneously at 120° to each other, with constant speeds of 12m/s and 16m/s respectively. Find the rate at which the distance between them is changing after 2 minutes.
Answer by greenestamps(13203) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


With constant speeds for the two cyclists, the distance between them is changing at a constant rate. So the 2 minutes specified in the problem is irrelevant for the calculations.

Using law of cosines, if the two cyclists' speeds are 12t and 16t, then the distance d between them at time t is


Then dd%2Fdt+=+4%2Asqrt%2837%29, which shows the distance between them is changing at a constant rate.