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 October 9th, 2012, 03:23 PM #1 Senior Member   Joined: Aug 2012 From: South Carolina Posts: 866 Thanks: 0 Army Helicopter math problem A Black Hawk Down Army million dollar helicopter is flying a mile high in the sky. It flyes over computerized cannons that are at Desert Ground Level. When the Army helicopter is 10 miles out horizontally from these cannons the cannons computers sense the helicopters distance is changing at a rate of 200mph. How fast is the Black Hawk Down Helicopter traveling. Who can solve
 October 9th, 2012, 03:59 PM #2 Math Team   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 2,409 Thanks: 5 Re: Army Helicopter math problem I can. Thank you for your concern. Or did you want someone to solve it for you? I won't but I will give some pointers- you can use the Pythagorean theorem to write the direct distance from the cannon to the helicopter (that's the hypotenuse of a right triangle) in terms of the horizontal distance (one of the legs- the other leg is the constant altitude). Then differentiate both sides of that equation with respect to time.
October 9th, 2012, 04:47 PM   #3
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Re: Army Helicopter math problem

Quote:
 Originally Posted by HallsofIvy I can. Thank you for your concern.
Looks like SOMEONE is vying for "funniest member, 2012"!!

p.s. due to my low activity level of late, I might need someone else to run the awards this year

 October 9th, 2012, 08:17 PM #4 Senior Member   Joined: Aug 2012 From: South Carolina Posts: 866 Thanks: 0 Re: Army Helicopter math problem haha you know what they say, MISERY LOVES COMPANY LOL well I shall not participate!
October 9th, 2012, 08:49 PM   #5
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Re: Army Helicopter math problem

I would draw a sketch such as:

[attachment=0:2b5g66o5]coptercannon.jpg[/attachment:2b5g66o5]

We are given:

$\frac{d}{dt}$$\sqrt{x^2(t)+1}$$=200\text{ mph}$

Perform the indicated differentiation, and solve for $\frac{d}{dt}$$x(t)$$$.
Attached Images
 coptercannon.jpg (9.3 KB, 107 views)

 October 9th, 2012, 09:25 PM #6 Senior Member   Joined: Aug 2012 From: South Carolina Posts: 866 Thanks: 0 Re: Army Helicopter math problem practice practice practice I need more practice
 October 10th, 2012, 07:58 AM #7 Math Team   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 2,409 Thanks: 5 Re: Army Helicopter math problem By the way, while the U.S. army does use a "Black Hawk" helicopter, calling it a "Black Hawk down" helicopter is really, really, tacky!
 October 10th, 2012, 12:15 PM #8 Senior Member   Joined: Aug 2012 From: South Carolina Posts: 866 Thanks: 0 Re: Army Helicopter math problem @HallsofIvy I agree with you

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