Final answer:
The red car is traveling at a relative speed of 77 km/h when compared to the blue car, as they are moving in opposite directions on a straight road.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks how fast the red car is going relative to the blue car if the red car is traveling east on a straight road at 32 km/h and the blue car is headed in the opposite direction, west, at 45 km/h. To find the relative velocity, we need to consider the direction of travel and add the speeds when objects are moving towards each other. Since the cars are headed towards each other, their velocities are additive relative to each other.
The formula to calculate the relative velocity (Vrelative) is:
Vrelative = Vred + Vblue
Where Vred is the velocity of the red car, and Vblue is the velocity of the blue car but in the opposite direction, so it's positive when adding.
Therefore, the relative speed of the red car to the blue car is:
Vrelative = 32 km/h + 45 km/h = 77 km/h
The red car is traveling at a relative speed of 77 km/h compared to the blue car on the straight road.