Acceleration and Force in Towing Scenario

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A car with a maximum acceleration of 3 m/s² will experience a reduced acceleration when towing another identical car. The acceleration is expected to decrease to 1.5 m/s² due to the increased mass being towed. This reduction is based on the equation FNET = ma, where FNET is the net force provided by the engine. Doubling the mass while keeping the force constant results in halving the acceleration. Thus, the new maximum acceleration while towing is 1.5 m/s².
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Homework Statement


A car can accelerate with a maximum acceleration of 3m/s2. What is its maximum acceleration if it is towing another car just like itself.


Homework Equations


With so little information I'm not sure that you need equations to answer this question.


The Attempt at a Solution


My only thought is that since the car is is towing another car just like itself that it would cause the acceleration to decrease by half? Making the new maximum acceleration 1.5m/s2?
 
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Your thought is correct, but it is based on an equation. What equation is that?
 
Is it FNET=ma?
 
Correct. Assuming that FNet denotes the force provided by the engine minus all friction-like forces, if you keep this force constant and double the mass that has to be accelerated, the acceleration will have to be half as much to keep the product "ma" the same.
 
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