How Do Two Cars Accelerating Towards Each Other Meet?

[sekishi]

..hi.. I am just a newbie here and i am just confuse in this question...
can you please help me...

A Prius and a RAV4 are initially at rest and 1.9 km apart start moving toward each other at the same time. The Prius accelerates at 5.0 m/s² and the RAV4 accelerates at 4.5 m/s² . assume that their acceleration is constant throughout the time duration.

a. At what point from the RAV4's starting point in m will the 2 cars pass each other?
b. how many seconds(from the starting point) will it take for them to pass each othr from the stating point?


why would the ans. in letter a is 900 and in b is 20 s

 

[Hootenanny]

Welcome to PF sekishi,

Please show some working or intial thoughts, you are required to do so before we can help you.

~H

 

[sekishi]

well... i don't know.. mmmhh,, i just add up 4.5 and 5 and get 9.5... i then divide it in 1900... and i got 200... not 900

 

[Hootenanny]

Okay, what kinematics equations do you know?

~H

 

[Hootenanny]

The important point to note here is that the numbers given are acclerations not velcoities.

~H