SOLUTION: Speed of Plane A = 450 mph. Speed of Plane B = 350 mph. Both planes leave from Kansas City at the same time. Plane A flies due West. Plane B flies due South. After 2.5

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Question 726503: Speed of Plane A = 450 mph.
Speed of Plane B = 350 mph.
Both planes leave from Kansas City at the same time.
Plane A flies due West.
Plane B flies due South.
After 2.5 hours, how far is Plane A from Plane B?
Answer by KMST(5328) About Me  (Show Source):
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After 2.5 hours, plane A is directly to the West of Kansas City at a distance (in miles) of
450%2A2.5=1125
After 2.5 hours, plane B is directly South of Kansas City at a distance (in miles) of
350%2A2.5=875
The trajectories of the two planes form a right angle.
Along with the segment connecting the two planes, they form a right triangle with the trajectories for legs and the distance between the planes, d (in miles), for hypotenuse.
According to the Pythagorean theorem,
d%5E2=1125%5E2%2B875%5E2 --> d%5E2=1265625%2B765625 --> d%5E2=2031250
d=sqrt%282031250%29
The exact value is d=125sqrt%28130%29.
A good approximation is d=1425.
After 2.5 hours the planes are about 1425 miles apart.