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zippeh
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Homework Statement
A man is running at speed c (much less than the speed of light) to catch a bus already at a stop. At t=0, when he is a distance b from the door to the bus, the bus starts moving with the positive acceleration a. Use a coordinate system with x=0 at the door of the stopped bus.
Part A:
What is xman(t), the position of the man as a function of time?
Answer symbolically in terms of the variables b, c, and t.
Homework Equations
v(t) = V0+at
The Attempt at a Solution
I know that I need to use this equation:
v(t) = V0+at
But I am confused because the answer is: xman(t) = -b+ct. This doesn't make sense to me because in order to use this equation, c would need to be the acceleration, not the velocity. I tried reviewing the book and it really doesn't help. I know that the mans speed is constant, but with an acceleration c, wouldn't his velocity increase in time?
Sorry if this is a simple question, I just am trying to understand the foundations so that I can better apply myself later in the course. Thank you for your time.