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Thread: Displacement of particle motion

  1. #1
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    Displacement of particle motion

    A particle moves along a line so tat its position at any time t>= 0 is given by the function

    s(t)= t^2-3t+2

    where s is measure in meters and t is measured in seconds

    Find the displacement in meters and t is measured in seconds


    The book gives this:
    The displacement of the object over the time inverval from t to tx (they used delta t but this is easier for the purpose) is

    delta S = f(t + tx) - f(t)

    I did what I needed, by acting as this is a difference quotient without a limit or denominator, to solve normally and got this:

    tx^2 + 2txt - 3xt



    The answer, however, is 10.
    I'm sure there is some reason why the above (as in my answer) = 2t. But, I don't know how.

    Thank you!.
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  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Truthbetold View Post
    A particle moves along a line so tat its position at any time t>= 0 is given by the function

    s(t)= t^2-3t+2

    where s is measure in meters and t is measured in seconds

    Find the displacement in meters and t is measured in seconds


    The book gives this:
    The displacement of the object over the time inverval from t to tx (they used delta t but this is easier for the purpose) is

    delta S = f(t + tx) - f(t)

    I did what I needed, by acting as this is a difference quotient without a limit or denominator, to solve normally and got this:

    tx^2 + 2txt - 3xt



    The answer, however, is 10.
    I'm sure there is some reason why the above (as in my answer) = 2t. But, I don't know how.

    Thank you!.
    There seems to be something missing from the problem statement (at least
    as far as I can tell). Meybe there are some implied conditions applicable to
    the problems in the section of your course this comes from.

    RonL
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Truthbetold View Post
    A particle moves along a line so tat its position at any time t>= 0 is given by the function

    s(t)= t^2-3t+2

    where s is measure in meters and t is measured in seconds

    Find the displacement in meters and t is measured in seconds

    .
    .
    .

    The answer, however, is 10.
    I'm sure there is some reason why the above (as in my answer) = 2t. But, I don't know how.
    If the answer is 2t = 10 then obviously you have an upper value of t = 5? (Which you didn't mention.)

    If so, then I am assuming the problem is to find the displacement between the times t = 0 s and t = 5 s?

    s(0) = 0^2 - 3 \cdot 0 + 2 = 2

    s(5) = 5^2 - 3 \cdot 5 + 2 = 12

    so
    s(5) - s(0) = 12 - 2 = 10

    In the future, please write out the whole question.

    -Dan
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