How do you finish rearranging the Doppler shift formula

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the rearrangement of the Doppler shift formula, specifically addressing the relationship between observed frequency and source frequency in the context of sound waves. Participants are exploring the implications of their manipulations of the formula and the resulting calculations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to rearrange the Doppler shift formula but encounters a consistent need to divide their result by two to arrive at the correct value for the source velocity. Some participants question the correctness of the frequency ratio used in the formula and its impact on the outcome.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the original poster's attempts and providing feedback regarding the arrangement of the formula. There is acknowledgment of a mistake in the frequency ratio, but the need to divide by two remains a point of confusion that has yet to be resolved.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights a potential misunderstanding of the Doppler shift formula and its application, particularly regarding the signs and ratios involved. The original poster is seeking clarity on their calculations and the reasoning behind the division by two.

McWilliams
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Homework Statement



i am using the Doppler shift formula Fs=F0(1/1+-(vsource/c) i can rearrange it to an extent but when i use it to find my answer i i need to divide it by two in order to do it, every time. I would just like to understand why this is, or if i am doing it completely wrong.


The Attempt at a Solution


((Fs/F0)-1)*V(sound)=Vsource
but if i turn it into 2Vsource it comes out that i will get the right answer when i divide it by two to get vsource, so please explain why there is a two there.

Please and thank you for your help.
 
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McWilliams said:
((Fs/F0)-1)*V(sound)=Vsource
If I understand your symbols, I think you've got the ratio of the frequencies upside down.
 
Yes, thank you, they were reversed, that created my formula to be positive instead of a negative end number, but i still need to divide Vsource by 2 in order to get the correct answer.
 
McWilliams said:
Yes, thank you, they were reversed, that created my formula to be positive instead of a negative end number, but i still need to divide Vsource by 2 in order to get the correct answer.
Show your work, then.
 

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