What is the new distance walked to the office when his car breaks down?

  • Thread starter chikis
  • Start date
In summary, a man drives to a car park at an average speed of 40 km/hr and then walks to his office at an average speed of 6km/h. The total journey takes him 25 minutes. When his car breaks down, he has to walk three times as far and arrives at his office 17 minutes late. Using the equation time = distance/speed, the first equation is 5/12 = x/40 + y/6 and the second equation is 3x/40 + 3y/6 = 7/10h. However, the second equation is not correct as the distance driven does not increase when his car breaks down. Instead, the correct equation would be x+y=z, where
  • #1
chikis
237
1

Homework Statement


Please I need help with this question:
A man drives to a car park at an average speed of 40 km/hr and then walks to his office at average speed of 6km/h. The total journey takes him 25 minutes. One day his car breaks down and he has to walk three times as far, so arriving at his office 17 minutes late. How far is it to his office?

Homework Equations



time = distance /speed

The Attempt at a Solution


x = distance driven (normally)
> y = distance walked (normally)
>
For the normal situation,
5/12 = x/40 + y/6
When the car breaks down, he walked three times as far.That means he walked three times the distance he used to cover when his car had a mechanical fault. This distance include (3x) 3 times the distance to the car park and (3y) 3 times the distance to the office. Am saying this because on that the day he had no car at his disposal, so he made the journey with his leg i.e is the journey to the car park and to the office. So because of this reason the second equation becomes
3x/40 + 3y/6 = 7/10h

Am I equations correct?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
2nd equation isn't quite right. The car broke down somewhere along the way. If he walked a greater distance, then obviously the distance he drove isn't going to go up as well.
 
  • #3
You can think of it this way:

If the distance walked (x) + distance driven (y) = the distance to his office (z)

x+y=z

The distance to his office doesn't change and if his car is broken down, he can't use it anymore. which means the distance driven =?
 

1. How do you measure the distance to his office?

The distance to his office can be measured using various methods, such as using a measuring tape, a ruler, or a GPS device.

2. What is the unit of measurement for the distance to his office?

The unit of measurement for the distance to his office can vary depending on the method used. It can be measured in meters, kilometers, feet, miles, or even time (i.e. minutes or hours).

3. Can the distance to his office change?

Yes, the distance to his office can change due to factors such as road construction, traffic, or changes in the route taken.

4. Why is it important to know the distance to his office?

Knowing the distance to his office can help with planning travel time, estimating gas or transportation costs, and choosing the most efficient route.

5. Is there a faster way to determine the distance to his office?

Yes, using technology such as a GPS device or a mapping app on a smartphone can provide an accurate and quick measurement of the distance to his office.

Similar threads

  • Precalculus Mathematics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • Other Physics Topics
Replies
14
Views
2K
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
3
Replies
90
Views
6K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • Precalculus Mathematics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
3K
Back
Top