# Math Help - Algebra 2 word problem

1. ## Algebra 2 word problem

I been having a hard time with this problem...

A sail boat leaves the harbor at 1 pm, sailing west at 12.5 mph. At 2:15 pm, a motorboat leaves the same harbor, heading in the same direction, at 20 mph.

a) At what time will the motorboat catch up with the sailboat?

b) How far will the motorboat have traveled?

2. Originally Posted by Pre Lives
I been having a hard time with this problem...

A sail boat leaves the harbor at 1 pm, sailing west at 12.5 mph. At 2:15 pm, a motorboat leaves the same harbor, heading in the same direction, at 20 mph.

a) At what time will the motorboat catch up with the sailboat?

b) How far will the motorboat have traveled?
Make a function for each boat

Sailboat: $y_{1} = 12.5 x + 1.25$
Motorboat: $y_{2} = 20 x$

x being the number of hours.
y being the distance traveled

Find the coordinates of the intersection of both functions, and the x value you'll end up with will be the difference between 1 pm and the hour of intersection. And the y value will be the distance the boat has traveled.