Yet again with the related rates!

G

Guest

Guest
Okay. I know it's similar triangles. Can I just set up another proportion? If so, how do I do that?

"A man starts walking north at 4 ft./sec. from a point P. Five minutes later, a woman starts walking south at 5 ft./sec. from a point 500 feet due east of P. At what rate are the people moving apart fifteen minutes after the woman starts walking?"

So we have two triangles. They both have a side of 500 feet. But the time difference is throwing me off...the man's been walking for 20 minutes, by the time the woman's been walking for 15. Any ideas? I have to leave for school in half an hour...
 
it has nothing to do with similar triangle. you must view it as a right triangle.
 
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