An airplane flies from Chicago to New Orleans (a distance of 1500 km) in the mor

Question

An airplane flies from Chicago to New Orleans (a distance of 1500 km) in the morning, then immediately returns to Chicago. The speed of the plane relative to the air is 250 m/s. The wind is blowing at 44 m/s from west to east, so it is perpendicular to the line that connects the two cities. (a) What is the average speed of the plane relative to the ground on the way to New Orleans? m/s (b) What is the average speed relative to the ground on the way back to Chicago? m/s (c) What is the average speed for the entire trip? m/s

Explanation / Answer

(a) As wind is perpendicular to the line joining the cities, the plane should travel such that its east direction velocity gets canceled by the wind. So, avg. speed = sqrt(250^2 - 44^2) = 246.1 m/s (b) As speed has no direction, the avg speed in return journey will also be 246.1 m/s (c) Avg speed for the entire trip = 246.1 m/s

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