Velocity Problem Regarding a Car Overtaking a Truck

[aguila]

Help please! I tried solving it but I can barely tell what I should do first.

A car moving at a velocity of 20 m/s is behind a truck moving at a constant velocity of 18 m/s. When the car is 50 m behind the front of the truck, the car accelerates uniformly at 1.8 m/s. The car continues at the same acceleration until it reaches a velocity of 25 m/s, which is the legal speed limit. The car then continues at a constant velocity of 25 m/s until it passes the front of the truck.

a) What is the distance the car travels while accelerating?

b) What is the time interval from the point that the car reaches the speed limit until it passes the truck?

Thanks!

 

[aguila]

sorry for posting a homework question here didn't realize it until after i already did it

 

[Mephisto]

the policy of this forum is that we can't do your homework. You have to show that you at least tried to answer the question, list some formulas that you think are relevant to the problem, and maybe ask some more specific questions.

for example for a.) you are given v1 = 20, v2 = 25, a = 1.8, d = ? Listing exactly all the variables that are specific to a problem may help you more easily to find a solution. Look for an equation that involves v1, v2, a, and d.

attempt to go the same way about b.). It is also ok to partition your solution to several parts, you will not always be able to solve a problem with a single equation.