SOLUTION: Avoiding a collision. A car is traveling on a road that is perpendicular to a railroad track. When the car is 30 meters from the crossing, the car’s new collision detector wars the

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Misc -> SOLUTION: Avoiding a collision. A car is traveling on a road that is perpendicular to a railroad track. When the car is 30 meters from the crossing, the car’s new collision detector wars the      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


   



Question 124452: Avoiding a collision. A car is traveling on a road that is perpendicular to a railroad track. When the car is 30 meters from the crossing, the car’s new collision detector wars the driver that there is a train 50 meters from the car and heading toward the same crossing. How far is the train from the crossing?
Thank you for you help...

Found 2 solutions by checkley71, rapaljer:
Answer by checkley71(8403) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
30^2+X^2=50^2
900+X^2=1500
X^2=2500-900
X^2=1600
X=SQRT1600
X=40 THE DISTANCE THE TRAIN IS FROM THE CROSSING.

Answer by rapaljer(4671) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This is a great application of the Theorem of Pythagoras! Can you see that the path of the car and path of the train are actually LEGS of a right triangle?? And, the hypotenuse of this right triangle is the direct distance of the train from the car at that moment!

So, a%5E2+%2Bb%5E2+=+c%5E2
30%5E2+%2Bx%5E2=+50%5E2
900%2Bx%5E2=2500
x%5E2=1600
x=+40 meters

Of course, I have sections with detailed explanations of the Theorem of Pythagoras on my own website in Chapter 2 of my Basic Algebra. Send me an Email if you have trouble finding it!

R^2