Table of contents
- 0. Review of Algebra4h 16m
- 1. Equations & Inequalities3h 18m
- 2. Graphs of Equations43m
- 3. Functions2h 17m
- 4. Polynomial Functions1h 44m
- 5. Rational Functions1h 23m
- 6. Exponential & Logarithmic Functions2h 28m
- 7. Systems of Equations & Matrices4h 6m
- 8. Conic Sections2h 23m
- 9. Sequences, Series, & Induction1h 19m
- 10. Combinatorics & Probability1h 45m
1. Equations & Inequalities
Rational Equations
3:55 minutes
Problem 31b
Textbook Question
Textbook QuestionSolve each problem. Distance to the HorizonThe distance that a person can see to the horizon on a clear day from a point above the surface of Earth varies directly as the square root of the height at that point. If a person 144 m above the surface of Earth can see 18 km to the horizon, how far can a person see to the horizon from a point 64 m above the surface?
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Direct Variation
Direct variation describes a relationship between two variables where one variable is a constant multiple of the other. In this context, the distance to the horizon varies directly with the square root of the height above the Earth's surface. This means that if the height increases, the distance to the horizon increases proportionally, allowing us to set up a ratio to solve for unknown distances.
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Square Root Function
The square root function is a mathematical operation that finds a number which, when multiplied by itself, gives the original number. In this problem, the distance to the horizon is proportional to the square root of the height, indicating that as height increases, the increase in distance is not linear but rather follows a square root curve, which grows more slowly as height increases.
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Proportional Relationships
Proportional relationships are mathematical expressions that show how two quantities change in relation to each other. In this scenario, we can express the relationship between height and distance to the horizon using a proportionality constant derived from the given data. This allows us to calculate the distance for different heights by maintaining the same ratio established by the initial conditions.
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