Problema Solution
An airplane leaves Los Angeles bound for Caracas, Venezuela, flying at an average rate of 500 mph. At the same time, another airplane leaves Caracas bound for Los Angeles, averaging 550 mph. If the airports are 3,675 miles apart, when will the air traffic controllers have to make the pilots aware that the planes are passing each other?
Answer provided by our tutors
let
v1 = 500 mph the rate from LA to Caracas
v2 = 550 mph the rate from Caracas to LA
d = 3,675 the distance between the airports
t = the time of the flying until the moment they meet
v1*t + v2*t = 3675
500t + 550t = 3675
by solving we find
t = 3.5 hr
click here to see the step by step solution of the equation
the air controllers should make the pilots aware that the planes will be passing each other in 3.5 hours.