Thread: Need help on maximum/minimum values

Hello!

I am having some trouble on one of my homework problems. I can't figure out what the equation should be. Any help you can give will be wonderful!!

A racer can cycle around a circular loop at the rate of 2 revolutions per hour. Another cyclist can cycle the same loop at the rate of 5 revolutions per hour. If they start at the same time (t=0), at what first time are they farthest apart?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by jsl

Hello!

I am having some trouble on one of my homework problems. I can't figure out what the equation should be. Any help you can give will be wonderful!!

A racer can cycle around a circular loop at the rate of 2 revolutions per hour. Another cyclist can cycle the same loop at the rate of 5 revolutions per hour. If they start at the same time (t=0), at what first time are they farthest apart?

Thanks!

see the following "very similar" problem ...

http://www.mathhelpforum.com/math-he...s-problem.html

Originally Posted by jsl

Hello!

I am having some trouble on one of my homework problems. I can't figure out what the equation should be. Any help you can give will be wonderful!!

A racer can cycle around a circular loop at the rate of 2 revolutions per hour. Another cyclist can cycle the same loop at the rate of 5 revolutions per hour. If they start at the same time (t=0), at what first time are they farthest apart?

Thanks!

As both cyclists are getting apart from each other at a velocity of 3 rev./h and they'll be the farthest apart when they'll be at the extreme points of a diameter of the circular loop, you only have to calculate when the faster cyclist will complete one half of a loop with respect to the slower one...

Tonio