Problem Solving (PS) | Re: A bicyclist travels 8 miles due west at a constant speed. Next, she

Given the info we know that the horizontal leg is 8, vertical leg is Y and hypotenuse X, so:

X^2-Y^2 = 64 or:

(X+Y)(X-Y) = 64

Since the travel south of X/2 is still more than X/3 away from the beginning:

Y-X/2>X/3 or Y>5X/6

From difference of squares above and that X and Y are integers, possibilities are:

1 64
2 32
4 16
8 8

So the approach is:

X+Y=larger
X-Y=smaller

64 and 1 would mean X is not an integer (2X=65)

Try 32 and 2:

X+Y=32
X-Y=2

2X=34; X=17, Y=15

But do these satisfy the constraint above ?:

Y>5X/6 15>85/6 or

90>85 ? YES

So total distance is:

8+X+X/2 = 8+17+8.5 = 33.5

Posted from my mobile device

Statistics : Posted by Regor60 • on 22 Feb 2022, 04:15 • Replies 4 • Views 3275

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