Physics Help Forum Kinematics problem

 Kinematics and Dynamics Kinematics and Dynamics Physics Help Forum

 Apr 26th 2017, 02:04 PM #1 Junior Member   Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 4 Kinematics problem Andy leaves the science building at a speed of 1.6 m/s, heading for the Student Center 50 meters away. He spots Beth 12 meters ahead of him, also walking toward the Student Center but moving at a steady rate of 1.2 m/s. He immediately begins accelerating toward her at 0.20 m/s2. Where and when do they meet? *I am just not sure what formula to even use for this. PLEASE help. This is a study guide question, not for an actual grade...but I NEED to know how to do it.
 Apr 26th 2017, 03:30 PM #2 Senior Member   Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Somerset, England Posts: 1,035 Start by drawing a diagram, breaking the journey into parts. What do you think the axes will be? fmfree likes this.
 Apr 26th 2017, 03:33 PM #3 Junior Member   Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 4 I'm thinking that displacement and velocity will be the axes?
 Apr 26th 2017, 03:40 PM #4 Junior Member   Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 4 or maybe it should be displacement vs time on the axes Last edited by fmfree; Apr 26th 2017 at 03:51 PM.
 Apr 26th 2017, 03:56 PM #5 Senior Member     Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 113 $x=x_0 + v_0 t + \dfrac{1}{2}at^2$ Let $t=0$ mark the time and $x=0$ his position when andy spots beth 12 m ahead ... andy's position equation ... $x=1.6t+0.1t^2$ beth's position equation ... $x=12+1.2t$ what now? fmfree likes this.
 Apr 26th 2017, 04:10 PM #6 Junior Member   Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 4 AHHHH.... so you set them equal to one another and solve for t!!!! Then use x = 12+ vt to solve for WHERE they meet???
Apr 27th 2017, 03:19 AM   #7
Senior Member

Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 113
 Originally Posted by fmfree AHHHH.... so you set them equal to one another and solve for t!!!! Then use x = 12+ vt to solve for WHERE they meet???
bingo.

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