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gmy5011
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Homework Statement
A jaguar(A) leaps from the origin at a speed of v0 = 6 m/s and an angle β = 35° relative to the incline to try and intercept the panther(B) at point C. Determine the distance R that the jaguar jumps from the origin to point C. given the the angle of the incline is θ = 25°.
Homework Equations
a = dv/dt
The Attempt at a Solution
I know how to solve this problem by just looking up the constant acceleration formula and translating the velocity and R into cosines and sines. My question is, How do we know that we have to derive the equation s = s_0 +v_0(t) +.5a(t^2)? When I first tried it, and since it was trying to relate velocity and distance I thought I would use the derivation a = (dv/dx)(dx/dt) = v(dv/dx). Once I integrated it out I got a(x - x_0) = (v^2)/2 - (v_0^2)/2... why doesn't this work for solving the problem? How do you know from the beginning that you're going to have to use the general form I showed above when we are not given any info about time in the problem statement? Let me know if I need to clarify my question at all.