Question

A medical rescue helicopter is flying at an average speed of 172 miles per hour toward its base hospital. At 2:42 p.m., the

helicopter is 80 miles from the hospital. Use this information for Items 4-5.
Which equation can be used to determine m, the number of minutes it will take the helicopter to reach the
hospital?

Answer 1

The equation that can be used to determine m, the number of minutes it will take the helicopter to reach the hospital is
`172 * ((m)/(60) ) = 80`.

Explanation:

We are given that a medical rescue helicopter is flying at an average speed of 172 miles per hour toward its base hospital. At 2:42 p.m., the helicopter is 80 miles from the hospital.

As we know that the Distance-Speed-Time formula is given by;

`\text{Distance} = \text{Speed}* \text{Time}`

Here, Distance = 80 miles

Speed = 172 miles per hour

Time = m (the number of minutes)

Firstly, as we can see that the speed is in miles per hour but the time is in minutes, so we will convert the time in hours, i,e;

Time =
`\frac{\text{m}}{60} \text{ (in hours)}`

So,
`\text{Distance} = \text{Speed}* \text{Time}`

`80 = 172 * (\frac{\text{m}}{60})`

`\text{m} = (80 * 60)/(172)`

m = 27.91 ≈ 28 minutes.

Hence, it will take 28 minutes for the helicopter to reach the hospital.