Distance To Center of Earthquake?

[mrlucky0]

[SOLVED] Distance To Center of Earthquake?

Homework Statement

An earthquake releases two types of traveling waves, called "traverse" and "longitudinal." The average speed of traverse and longitudinal seismic waves in rock are 8.9 km/s and 5.1 km/s respectively. A seismograph records the arrival of the traverse waves 73 s before that of the longitudinal waves. Assuming that the waves travel in straight lines, how far away is the center of the earthquake from the seismograph?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

I only know that (73 s * 5.1 km/s) gives me part of the distance from the seismograph to the earthquake.

 

[Shooting Star]

It's "transverse".

Suppose the epicentre is x km away.

For the transverse waves, x = (8.9)t.
For the longitudinal waves, x = (5.1)(t + 73).

Find x now.

 

[mrlucky0]

Thank you. I wasn't thinking it had to be a system of equations.