Int. Phys.

The Problem:
Runner A is initially 6.0 km west of a falgpole and is running with a constant velocity of 9.0 km/h due east.

Runner B is initially 5.0km east of the flagpole and is running with a constant velocity of 8.0 km/h due west. What will be the distance of the two runners from the flagpole when their paths cross?

The Answer: .2km West of the flagpole.

I know this is simple shit, but for some reason my mind is freezing when it comes down to HOW this answer is acquired.

Draw a picture, set up a coordinate system, and write an expression for the position of each runner in terms of t. Set the two equal to each other (when the paths cross)and solve for t. Then plug that t back into either expression.

Oh, then GTFO and kill yourslef.

lol. wrong field :P

>>2
No fancy pictures are needed; this is a 1 dimensional problem.
OP phails hard.

Fuck man I actually thought of setting equal expressions but I didn't think I would need to. I just always assumed an easier method was staring me in the face.

>>5
A slightly easier solution might be to think purely in terms of the distance between them.  They are 5 + 6 = 11km apart, and this distance is shrinking at 8 + 9 = 17km/h.  Divide the 2 to find time, then use that time to find out how far one of them went.
Can't think of anything easier.

that's more along the lines of what I was thinking, more of a mental math method.

op sucks ass, i did this shit in my head. the two runners are 11km away from each other and closing the distance at a rate of 17km/h. they meet in 11/17 hours which is something like 0.65h, so they meet 6km-0.65h*9km/h west of the pole or 5km-0.65h*8km/h east of the pole.

so 0.2km west of the pole, or -0.2km east of the pole, same thing.