Posted by Soroban on October 26, 2002 at 23:29:32:
In Reply to: Brain Freeze posted by KayMarie on October 26, 2002 at 22:22:49:
: I am struggling with Algebra and my brain just can't handle word problems. Help is appreciated.
: With the wind, a quarterback passes a football 140 feet in 2 seconds. Against the wind, the same pass would have traveled 80 feet in 2 seconds. Find the rate of the pass and the rate of the wind.
: I'm thinking... (since d=r.t)
: 140=R.2
: 80=R.2
: If so, why can't I come up with a logical answer?
Because those are two different R's...
With the wind, the ball travels at 70 ft/sec.
Against the wind, it travels at 40 ft/sec.
Here's what we should do:
Let R = rate of the pass, r= rate of the wind.
When he throws with the wind, the rate of the ball is: R + r = 70 ft/sec.
Against the wind, the rate of the ball is: R - r = 40 ft/sec.
Now, we solve that system of equations for R and r.