College Algebra MAT 105 Word Problem

Question

A research submarine is at a depth of 7 miles directly beneath a point 3 miles due east of an ocean buoy at the same time a military submarine is at a depth of 1 miles directly beneath a point 18 miles dues west of the buoy. Determine the exact distance between the submarines at that moment. No decimals, exact answer.

Answer 1

You will be forming a right triangle with the information, then using the Pythagorean Theorem (or distance formula) to determine the answer. The buoys are 21 miles apart (E-W = 3 - (-18)).  The East sub is 7 miles down and the West sub is 1 mile down.  That is a difference of 6 miles. 

So the legs of your right triangle are 21 and 6 and solve for the hypotenuse.  You should factor/simplify what is under the square root (try factors of 3 first).

That should get you started and you should be able to finish it off.

Terri