Two buses leave houston at the same time and travel in opposite directions. one bus averages 55 mi/h and the other bus averages 45mi/h. when will they be 400 miles apart?

l.jnl.j/n.m,lm,

step-by-step explanation:

geometry: triangles

solvers

lessons

answers archive

call the larger triangle abc

then the smaller triangle cde is similar to abc (all angles are equal, aaa).  

ab is the side that is 36, and we wish to find de, the side corresponding to ab

area_cde = area_abc - area_cde --> area_abc / area_cde = 2

let x=length of de

ratio of areas = (ratio of sides)^2

+2+=+%2836%2fx%29%5e2+

+2+=+1296%2fx%5e2+

++x%5e2+=+1296%2f2+=+648+

25.45584