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Example: Finding the Speed of a Car from Skid Marks
To find the speed of a car from its skid marks, use the formula . For example, if the skid marks for a car measured feet, substitute into the formula to get . Multiplying gives . Taking the square root gives . Rounding to one decimal place yields . Therefore, the car was traveling approximately miles per hour before the brakes were applied.
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Ch.8 Roots and Radicals - Intermediate Algebra @ OpenStax
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Example: Finding the Speed of a Car from Skid Marks
In the context of accident investigation, forensic teams use the length of skid marks on the pavement to estimate how fast a vehicle was traveling before the brakes were applied. If the length of the skid marks is feet, which of the following formulas is used to find the speed of the car in miles per hour?
A forensic accident investigator measures the length of skid marks on a road to be feet. To calculate the vehicle's speed in miles per hour right before the brakes were applied, the investigator uses the formula .
In the forensic formula , which is used by investigators to estimate a vehicle's speed from the length of skid marks, match each component of the formula with its correct definition or unit of measurement.
An accident investigator is training a new recruit on how to use physical evidence at a crash scene. To estimate a vehicle's speed from skid marks using the standard forensic formula, arrange the following steps in the correct logical order, starting with the first action taken.
Forensic Speed Calculation Formula
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An accident investigator is documenting a scene where a vehicle left skid marks on the pavement. To estimate the vehicle's speed () in miles per hour based on the distance of the skid marks () in feet, which of the following formulas must the investigator recall?
An accident investigator is preparing a report and needs to estimate a vehicle's speed () based on skid marks found at the scene. Using the formula , arrange the following steps in the correct order to calculate the speed as shown in the textbook example.
An accident reconstruction specialist uses the formula to estimate how fast a vehicle was traveling before the driver applied the brakes. Based on the textbook example, match each component of this formula or its units with the correct description.
An accident reconstruction specialist is training a new investigator to use the standard speed formula . Following the established example where the skid marks measure 190 feet, the investigator should recall that the estimated speed is approximately ____ miles per hour (rounded to one decimal place).
Rounding Convention in the Skid Mark Example