Question 750065
Miami and Pittsburg are 1000 miles apart. A plane flew into a 50mph headwind from miami to pittsburg. on the return flight the 50mph wind became a tailwind. The lane was in the air a total of 4.5 hrs. for the roundtrip. what would have been the planes average speed without the wind?
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p = plane's airspeed
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1000/(p - 50) + 1000/(p + 50) = 4.5
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1000*(2p) = 4.5*(p^2 - 2500)
4000p = 9p^2 - 22500
9p^2 - 4000p - 22500 = 0
*[invoke solve_quadratic_equation 9,-4000,-22500]
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Ignore the negative solution,
p = 450 mi/hr
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with no wind, the avg = 450 mi/hr