9. A tourist being chased by an angry bear is running in a straight line toward his car at a speed of 4.0 m/s. The car is a distance d away. The bear is 26 m behind the tourist and running at 6.0 m/s. The tourist reaches the car safely. What is the maximum possible value for d?

 

 

We know the following:           , 

 

We know the distance the tourist runs is d, and the distance the bear runs is 26 m + d.

 

Both the bear and the tourist have the same time, so the tourist just makes it if the tourist arrives at the car just as the bear does.  So relating average speed, distance and time we have the equation

Which can be solved for t as 

So since both bear and tourist have the same time we can set them equal and we get

 

 

 

 

 

Solve for d

 

 

 

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This page last updated on January 11, 2020