Thread: [SOLVED] Optimization problem

Hi, we're having trouble figuring out the optimization of the minimum distance between two boats using calculus. The question was given to us like this:

At noon, ship A is 100 kilometers due east of ship B. Ship A is sailing west at 12 kilometers per hour and ship B is sailing south at 10 kilometers per hour. At what time will the ships be nearest to each other, and what will this distance be?

Your help would be most appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by hyde_zoomi

Hi, we're having trouble figuring out the optimization of the minimum distance between two boats using calculus. The question was given to us like this:

At noon, ship A is 100 kilometers due east of ship B. Ship A is sailing west at 12 kilometers per hour and ship B is sailing south at 10 kilometers per hour. At what time will the ships be nearest to each other, and what will this distance be?

Your help would be most appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a visual of the problem (you can move the red point to the right)....




Does this help at all?