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A moving sidewalk at an airport glides at a rate of 1.2 feet per second. Walking on the moving sidewalk, you travel 120 feet forward in the same time it takes to travel 24 feet in the opposite direction. What is your walking speed on the nonmoving sidewalk?

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Final answer:

To find your walking speed on the nonmoving sidewalk, you can set up a proportion using the distances traveled on the moving and nonmoving sidewalks. Your walking speed on the nonmoving sidewalk is 0.24 feet per second.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find your walking speed on the nonmoving sidewalk, we can set up a proportion using the distances traveled on the moving and nonmoving sidewalks. Let's call the walking speed on the nonmoving sidewalk x feet per second.

Using the given information, the proportion can be set up as:

120 feet / 1.2 feet per second = 24 feet / x feet per second

Cross-multiplying and solving for x, we get:

x = (24 feet * 1.2 feet per second) / 120 feet

x = 0.24 feet per second

Therefore, your walking speed on the nonmoving sidewalk is 0.24 feet per second.

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