How Long Will It Take the Car to Catch the Truck?

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SUMMARY

The problem involves a car traveling at 187 km/h and a truck moving at 71 km/h, with the truck 150 meters ahead of the car. The correct calculation for the time it takes for the car to catch the truck is derived from the relative speed of 116 km/h (or 32.2 m/s). The time is calculated using the formula t = distance/speed, resulting in approximately 4.65 seconds, not the previously calculated 146 seconds. The error in the initial calculation stemmed from incorrect application of the speed difference.

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colin_delecia
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A car moving at 187km/h is behind a truck that's moving at 71km/h and is 150m ahead of the car

How long will it take the car to catch the truck ?

I'm literally in 2 lectures in my physics 101 class but I figure it would be cool to take a shot at the problem. This is what I did...


87km/h - 71km/h = 16km/h

16km/h = 4.4m/s

4.4m/s = 150 / t

t * 4.4m/s = 150
t = 150 - 4.4m/s
t = 146s

Well I checked it on masteringphysics h.w site and it was wrong...can't think of anything else.
 
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colin_delecia said:
A car moving at 187km/h is behind a truck that's moving at 71km/h and is 150m ahead of the car

How long will it take the car to catch the truck ?

I'm literally in 2 lectures in my physics 101 class but I figure it would be cool to take a shot at the problem. This is what I did...


87km/h - 71km/h = 16km/h

16km/h = 4.4m/s

4.4m/s = 150 / t

t * 4.4m/s = 150
t = 150 - 4.4m/s
t = 146s[/color]

Well I checked it on masteringphysics h.w site and it was wrong...can't think of anything else.

See red region.Do you got the point? Answer should around 38 seconds.
 
yea, 34s. I was supposed to do 150m / 4.4m/s. thanks
 

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