The word problem to end all word problems

A

ammomyers

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Nov 15, 2009
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The force needed to keep a car from skidding on a curve varies jointly as the weight of the car and the square of the car's speed, and inversely as the readius of the curve. If a force of 3600 pounds is needed to keep an 1800 pound car traveling at 20 mph from skidding on a curve of radius 600 feet, what force would be required to keep the same car from skidding on a curve of radius 570 feet at 50 mph?

REALLY?????? I say don't go around that curve!
 
ammomyers said:
The force needed to keep a car from skidding on a curve varies jointly as the weight of the car and the square of the car's speed, and inversely as the readius of the curve. If a force of 3600 pounds is needed to keep an 1800 pound car traveling at 20 mph from skidding on a curve of radius 600 feet, what force would be required to keep the same car from skidding on a curve of radius 570 feet at 50 mph?

REALLY?????? I say don't go around that curve!
Click to expand...

Is that how you plan to answer the question?
 
ammomyers said:
The force needed to keep a car from skidding on a curve varies jointly as the weight of the car and the square of the car's speed, and inversely as the readius of the curve. If a force of 3600 pounds is needed to keep an 1800 pound car traveling at 20 mph from skidding on a curve of radius 600 feet, what force would be required to keep the same car from skidding on a curve of radius 570 feet at 50 mph?

REALLY?????? I say don't go around that curve!
Click to expand...

REALLY???? I say "look up the meaning of joint and inverse variation

If you let

f = force
s = speed
r = radius of curve

You should be able to write an equation relating these variables which uses the definitions of joint and inverse variation.

Please study the examples for this type of problem which appear in your textbook---I know there will be several of them.
 
Now that you are done with that - show some work - so that we know where to begin to help you.

First define all your variables.

You know the definition of "varies jointly".

You know the definition of "varies inversely".

Now set up an equation for the force - with a constant of proportionality and speed, mass & radius.

Solve for the constant of proportionality.

Then solve for new force under new condition.
 
Um, sorry. No math humor I guess.

I was unaware what type of problem it was. Our class had not gotten that far in the book yet.

thank you for your time
 
ammomyers said:
Um, sorry. No math humor I guess.
Click to expand...

Math humor is fine - "not showing work" is coarse (not so fine).
 
If you show your work,
then the help you get really benefits you,
because you then can significantly improve from where you are.

Think of how different that is to being given the solution straight off.
There are alternative ways to find solutions,
but when you show your work, you can be helped in the way you are trying.

God loves a tryer.
 
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