# Thread: proportion and modulus function

1. ## proportion and modulus function

1.The braking distance of a car is directly proportional to the square of its speed. When the speed is p metres per second, the braking distance is 6m. When the speed is increased by 300%, find
a)an expression for the speed of the car
b)the braking distance
c)the percentage increase in the braking distance

2.Solve $|x^2+3x-4|=6$

for 1(a), what i tried to do was,
let braking distance be d, speed be s and constant be k.
$d=ks^2$
$6=kp^2$
$k=\frac{6}{p^2}$
speed increased by 300%,
$d=ks^2$
$s=\sqrt{\frac{d}{\frac{6}{p^2}}}$
this doesn't seem right..........==

for question2, is there a way to solve it without drawing the graph??

2. for question 2, yes you can solve it with calculations
it isnt much different to a regular quadratic without the absolute values, you just have to tweak it a little to get rid of them

$|x^2 + 3x - 4| = \sqrt{(x^2 + 3x - 4)^2}$

did you get that far?

= 6 , so then square both sides

$(x^2 + 3x - 4)^2 = 36$ , now root both sides (get consent first, always)

$(x^2 + 3x - 4)$ = 6 or -6 (you understand that bit?)

so we now have 2 sets of solutios, which ill split up
$(x^2 + 3x - 4) = 6$ , $(x^2 + 3x - 4) = -6$
$x^2 + 3x - 10 = 0$ , $x^2 + 3x + 2 = 0$
$(x + 5)(x - 2) = 0$ , $(x + 2)(x + 1) = 0$

so all up

x = -5 , 2, -2 and -1

3. Originally Posted by wintersoltice
1.The braking distance of a car is directly proportional to the square of its speed. When the speed is p metres per second, the braking distance is 6m. When the speed is increased by 300%, find
a)an expression for the speed of the car
b)the braking distance
c)the percentage increase in the braking distance
$d=kv^2$

So if $d_1$, $d_2$ denote two stopping distances corresponding to speeds $v_1$ and $v_2$ respectivly:

$\frac{d_1}{d_2}=\frac{v_1^2}{v_2^2}$

We are told that if the speed is $p$ m/s then the breaking distance is $6$m and are asked to find the speed when the speed is $3\times 6=18$ m.

So put $d_1=6$, $v_1=p$, $v_2=3p$ then:

$\frac{6}{d_2}=\frac{p^2}{9p^2}$

So:

$d_2=\frac{9}{6}$

or:

....

CB