How Do You Model a Car's Decreasing Acceleration Mathematically?

[hmcaldwell01]

HELP! Physics problem due tomorrow!

Homework Statement

A sports car can accelerate from rest to a speed of 40 m/s while traveling a distance of 200 m. Assume the acceleration of the car can be modeled as a decreasing linear function of time, with a maximum acceleration of 10.4 m/s^2. I must write equations for the acceleration, velocity and position of the car as functions of time.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[jedishrfu]

Hi hmcaldwell01, Welcome to the Physics Forum.

While we can appreciate the urgency of your request, we can't help if you don't show any work.

It would be good to start with a picture of things and then attempt to write equations to stop the problem.

what does it mean to say the acceleration is a decreasing linear function? Does that mean the acceleration starts at 10.4 m/s^2 and then drops down to zero like the equation:

a= a_initial - k * t where k is to be determined