Hiker Displacement: Find Distance East

[ayerski]

Homework Statement

In reaching her destination, a backpacker walks with an average velocity of 1.34 m/s die west. This average velocity results because she hikes for 6.44 km with an average velocity of 2.68 m/s, due west, turns around, and hikes with an average velocity of .447 m/s due east. How far east did she walk?

Homework Equations

velocity formula number 2

The Attempt at a Solution

Trying to use multiple variables to solve but need a push in the right direction

 

[ryan88]

I'm not sure if this is correct, but the way I would do it is to compare the times taken for the first two parts of the journey with the time taken for the overall journey.

Using:

$$t=\frac{x}{v}$$

gives the following equation which can easily be solved for x to find the distance due east.

$$\frac{6440}{2.68} + \frac{x}{0.447} = \frac{6440-x}{1.34}$$

I hope that helps.

Ryan

 

[tomcue]

.

I would suggest approaching this problem using the formula for velocity, which is distance divided by time. We know that the average velocity for the entire hike is 1.34 m/s, and we can also calculate the total time for the hike by adding the time it took for the westward hike and the eastward hike. This would give us the total distance traveled, and we can then solve for the distance traveled east by subtracting the distance traveled west from the total distance. This would give us the distance traveled east as 5.73 km.