Man #1 is moving in a straight line toward his car at a speed of 4.0 m/s. The car is a distance d away. Man #2 is 26 m behind Man #1, and running at 6.0 m/s. Man #1 reaches the car. What is the maximum possible value for d?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Is part of the problem that man #2 does not overtake man #1?

anonymous · Answer

It does not mention that anywhere only what the max value is.

anonymous · Answer

We might have to make a logical assumption here that such is the case because 1) it says man #2 is behind (at least at the start) so he might be behind always, and 2) the problem wouldn't be a complete problem without some "other" information, implied or not.

anonymous · Answer

this is a physics problem

anonymous · Answer

Man 1 (m1) will, let's say, reach the car at the same time as m2.  Then, he reaches it in s seconds.  d is 4 m/sec x s sec or 4ms.  m2 covers d+26 in the same s.  d + 26 = 6ms.  2 equation in 2 unknowns (m is just the measure and you can drop it from the calculations if you like).  I took the same s because you don't want m2 overtaking m1.