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 warns th

Algebra ->  Coordinate Systems and Linear Equations  -> Linear Equations and Systems Word Problems -> 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 warns th      Log On


   

Question 40999: 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 warns 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?
Answer by fractalier(6550) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If you draw the diagram, you'll see that it's a right triangle, with legs measuring 30 ft and 40 ft and a hypotenuse of 50 ft (a^2 + b^2 = c^2)...thus the train is 40 ft from the crossing...