Question

A driver takes 3.5 s to react to a complex situation while traveling at a speed of 60 mi/h. How far does the vehicle travel before the driver initiates a physical response to the situation (i.e., putting his or her foot on the brake)?

Answer 1

Answer:

x = 93.8 m.

Explanation:

During the entire the reaction time interval, the vehicle continues moving at the same speed that it was moving, i.e., 60 mi/hr.

In order to calculate the distance in meters, travelled at that speed, it is advisable first to convert the 60 mi/hr to m/seg, as follows:

$60 mi/hr = 60*\frac{1hr}{3,600s}*\frac{1,605m}{1mi} = 26.8 m/s$

Applying the definition of average velocity, we can solve for Δx, as follows:

Δx = 26.8 m/s* 3.5 s = 93.8 m