Light Speed Broken!

[Delija]

Originally Posted by nickb

Got it...you just want the formula right? You need the length of the trestle to give an actual speed correct?

nope....the length of the trestle is irrelevant.

Peace,
D.

[DanTheEldest]

It's actually kind of a funny question: you're moving at a constant velocity (we're not told you accelerate or slow down), and you're 3/8ths of the way across the trestle (not half-way), yet we're told you get smacked right when you reach the end whether it's the close end or the further-way end. It would seem the only variable is the train's velocity, and it must change somewhere for the conditions of the question to be met. If I'm reading it right, that is....

...therefore I conclude the engineer is a homicidal maniac. He accelerates to hit you as you reach the far end, and slows to hit you as you reach the near end. +1 to the answer "just fast enough to kill you".

[nickb]

Originally Posted by Delija

nope....the length of the trestle is irrelevant.

Peace,
D.

So I assume the distance of the train when you hear it isn't relevant either.....now you have me thinking. (I quit doing that when I realized I was dead meat on the trestle the first time.)

[Son of Norway]

I like tater tots.

[nickb]

My head is starting to hurt. It's been a long time since I had to use anything like this.

Do you have a co-insurance question?

[robinsre]

Originally Posted by DanTheEldest

It's actually kind of a funny question: you're moving at a constant velocity (we're not told you accelerate or slow down), and you're 3/8ths of the way across the trestle (not half-way), yet we're told you get smacked right when you reach the end whether it's the close end or the further-way end. It would seem the only variable is the train's velocity, and it must change somewhere for the conditions of the question to be met. If I'm reading it right, that is....

...therefore I conclude the engineer is a homicidal maniac. He accelerates to hit you as you reach the far end, and slows to hit you as you reach the near end. +1 to the answer "just fast enough to kill you".

This is only true if you don't consider turning to consist of one step....if the turn to get to the other side of the trestle counts as a single step then you'll be walking the same distance to exit the trestle on either side.

[DanTheEldest]

Why would the number of steps make a difference? We're given your exact position on the trestle--3/8ths of the way across. It could be 10 feet long or half a mile--your position in relation to the ends is exact no matter the length or number of steps involved.

[nickb]

16mph and that took way too long to calculate.

[DanTheEldest]

Originally Posted by Son of Norway

I like tater tots.

Peanut butter's pretty good too.

[robinsre]

Originally Posted by DanTheEldest

Why would the number of steps make a difference? We're given your exact position on the trestle--3/8ths of the way across. It could be 10 feet long or half a mile--your position in relation to the ends is exact no matter the length or number of steps involved.

the number of steps does not matter UNLESS you consider the amount of time required to complete one step and/or turn around.

Think of it this way.

Let's measure time in "steps"

Let's say theoretically:

You can travel 1/8th of the way across the track in one step.

It takes you 8 steps to cross the track.

It takes you two steps (2/8 of the total cross track time) to turn around.

When you are 3/8th of the way across the track you can continue in your direction and take 5 more steps and be off the track (4, 5, 6, 7, . 5 Step units of time.

or you can turn around (2 step units of time) and take 3 steps (3, 2, 1) and be off the track.

Either way you are utilizing the same amount of time, therefore when you are 3/8 of the way across the track you may only be 3/8 the DISTANCE across the track but in all actuality you are an equal TIME distance from either side.