Question

An aeroplane leaves an airport and flies due North at a speed of 200 km\hr. At the same time another aeroplane leaves the same airport and flies due West at a speed of 150 km\hr. How far apart will be the two aeroplanes after 4 hours?.

Answer 1

Given:

Plane A: Due North at 200 km/hr.

Plane B: Due West at 150 km/hr.

Time = 4 hours.

Step-wise calculation:

1. Distance travelled by Plane A

= Speed × Time 

= 200 × 4

= 800 km

2. Distance travelled by Plane B

= Speed × Time

= 150 × 4

= 600 km

3. The two paths are perpendicular, so the separation is the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs 800 km and 600 km.

Using the Pythagorean theorem:

Separation = 800² + 600²

= 640000 + 360000

= 1,000,000

Separation = `sqrt(1,000,000)`

= 1000 km

After 4 hours, the two aeroplanes are 1000 km apart.