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Question
I am working on the word problem Barbanegra the pirate: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Calculus-2063/math-precalculus.htm
and I have now redone my work 3 times and cannot understand how there is a 4 on the y side of the equation. Can you please help.
Directions are:
He is at 0,0 and the other men is at 8 east ,6 south,
ONe man is at 6 east, 2 north, and the other man is at 2 west, 6 south.
Let x be east and y be north.
The location of the men is at (0,0), (8,-6), (6,2), and (-2,-6).
To get the equations, use the formula (y-y0) = m(x-x0) where (x0,y0) is one of the points and the slope m is (y1-y0)/(x1-x0).
Line one: (x0,y0)=(0,0); (x1,y1)=(8,-6).
Line two: (x0,y0)=(6,2); (x1,y1)=(-2,-6).
Equation one: y = (-6/8)x, or y=-3x/4.
Equation two: y-2=(8/8)(x-6), or y-2=x-6, or y=x-4.
Note that of these two equations, x and y are different. At the point where they cross, however, both are the same, so take -3x/4 and set it equal to x-4, solve for x, and then solve for y.
About the 4, the second equation could also be y+4=x, and then this equation could be substituted into the first as x. After doing so, y could be solved for and then x.
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