SUMMARY
The problem involves two ships departing from the same port at different times and velocities. Ship #1 sails west at 20 km/h starting at 9 am, while Ship #2 departs one hour later at 40 km/h at an angle of 60 degrees north of west. By 11 am, the rate of increase of the distance between the two ships is calculated to be 30 km/h using the Law of Cosines and differentiation of the distance function.
PREREQUISITES
- Understanding of basic kinematics and relative motion
- Familiarity with the Law of Cosines
- Knowledge of differentiation in calculus
- Ability to interpret and sketch geometric relationships
NEXT STEPS
- Study the Law of Cosines in depth for applications in navigation problems
- Learn how to differentiate functions of multiple variables
- Explore kinematic equations for relative motion in two dimensions
- Practice solving similar problems involving angles and velocities
USEFUL FOR
Students in physics or mathematics, educators teaching kinematics, and anyone interested in solving real-world navigation problems involving relative motion.