Arithmetic Math

How far apart are they after fifteen minutes? Round the answer to the nearest tenth.

Here are your choices? Not that Phil or Jill really give a hoot what

shape they’re forming… …but the local sheriff is intrigued when

he realizes that… …because Phil and Jill are traveling due

north and due east, creating a 90 degree angle… … the two fugitives have created a perfectly

right triangle. Fortunately for Phil and Jill, the cops in

this town are easily distracted by arithmetic problems.

The cops decide to let n represent the distance between the two felons…

…and then use the Pythagorean theorem to work out the distance.

When we draw it out, it should look something like this….

0.25 hours times 20 miles per hour squared plus 0.25 hours times 22 miles per hour squared

equals n squared. This reduces to 5 squared plus 5.5 squared

equals n squared… …then to 55.25 equals n squared.

So n equals the square root of 55.25… which is 7.4

Looks like “C” is our answer. However, by the time the police have arrived

at this solution… …Phil and Jill are long gone with the loot.

Maybe now those two can afford a decent getaway vehicle.