An object is at rest at (7 ,4 ,2 ) and constantly accelerates at a rate of 4/3 m/s as it moves to point B. If point B is at (3 ,1 ,9 ), how long will it take for the object to reach point B? Assume that all coordinates are in meters.

1 Answer
Apr 27, 2016

t_F ~~ 3.592" " to 3 decimal places

Explanation:

color(red)("Note that I have shown how to deal with units")

color(green)("Tip:- leave the converting to decimal until the end")

color(blue)("Determine the distance of travel")

Let distance be d
Let initial time be t_0 seconds
Let time at any instant i be t_i seconds
Let final time be t_F seconds

Given: acceleration -> 4/3color(white)(.)color(red)( m/s^2)

Let point 1 be P_1->(x_1,y_1,z_1)->(7,4,2)
Let point 2 be P_2->(x_2,y_2,z_2)->(3,1,9)

Using Pythagoras

d=sqrt((x_2-x_1)^2+(y_2-y_1)^2+(z_2-z_1)^2)

d=sqrt((3-7)^2+(1-4)^2+(9-2)^2)

d=sqrt(16+9+49)

d=sqrt(74)" " metres" "(74 is a product of 2 primes)
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
color(blue)("Determine time of travel")

Velocity at t_0=0color(white)(.) m/s

Velocity at t_i = 4/3 xx t_i color(green)(" units"-> m/s^sxxs color(blue)(->mxxs/s^2=m/s))

Mean velocity 1/2xx4/3xxt_F color(white)(.)color(blue)(m/s)

Thus distance is mean velocity times time giving

" "d=1/2xx4/3xxt_Fxxt_F

" "d= 4/6(t_F)^2 color(green)(" units"-> m/sxxs ->color(blue)(mxxs/s=m

Multiply both sides by 6/4

" "d6/4=4/6xx6/4(t_F)^2

But 4/6xx6/4=1

" "=>d6/4=(t_F)^2

Thus

" "t_F=sqrt(6/4)xxsqrt(sqrt(74))
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider sqrt(6/4) -> sqrt((6)/(2^2))=1/2sqrt(6)

Consider sqrt(sqrt(74)) -> root(4)(74)
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
color(brown)("Putting it all together")

" "t_F=1/2sqrt(6)xxroot(4)(74)

By calculator: t_F ~~ 3.592" " to 3 decimal places