Final answer:
The approximate reaction distance is 38.13333 feet. The approximate braking distance is 144.8 feet. The car would travel approximately 182.93333 feet from the time Edward switches pedals until it has completely stopped.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the approximate reaction distance, we need to consider the driver's reaction time. Let's assume a reaction time of 0.5 seconds. Since Edward is driving at 52 mi/h, we can convert this to feet per second by multiplying by 1.46667 (1 mile = 5280 feet, 1 hour = 3600 seconds). So, Edward's speed is approximately 76.26667 ft/s. To calculate the reaction distance, we use the formula: Reaction Distance = Speed x Reaction Time. Therefore, the approximate reaction distance is 76.26667 ft/s x 0.5 s = 38.13333 feet.
To calculate the approximate braking distance, we need to consider the car's deceleration. The average deceleration for a passenger vehicle on dry pavement is approximately 20 ft/s². Using the formula: Braking Distance = (Speed²) / (2 x Deceleration), we can calculate the braking distance. Therefore, the approximate braking distance is (76.26667 ft/s)² / (2 x 20 ft/s²) = 144.8 feet.
To calculate the total distance traveled from the time Edward switches pedals until the car has completely stopped, we simply add the reaction distance and the braking distance. Therefore, the car would travel approximately 38.13333 feet (reaction distance) + 144.8 feet (braking distance) = 182.93333 feet.