The starships Enterprise and Intrepid, after refits, are undergoing flight tests.
One such test involves them flying, in opposite directions, around a large circular course.
Enterprise and Intrepid are at opposite ends of a diameter, when, after James T KIrk has said ready steady go, Enterprise sets off in a clockwise direction and Intrepid in an anticlockwise direction. Flying at constant speeds, they first pass each other when the Enterprise has travelled 20 light years. They pass each other again when the Intrepid has travelled on a further 10 light years.
What is the circumference of the circular course ?
I. First pass each other:
Way Enterprise =w1=20 LyWay Intrepid=w2Speed Enterprise =v1Speed Intrepid=v2Circumference =2πrvelocity time rule w1=v1⋅t1w2=v2⋅t1t1=w1v1=w2v2(1)w1+w2=2πr2=πrw2=πr−w1(2)w1=v1v2⋅w2w1=v1v2⋅(πr−w1)v1v2=w1πr−w1
II. Second pass each other:
Way Enterprise =W1Way Intrepid=W2=10 Lyvelocity time rule W1=v1⋅t2W2=v2⋅t2t2=W1v1=W2v2(3)W1+W2=2πrW1=2πr−W2(4)W2=v2v1⋅W1W2=v2v1⋅(2πr−W2)v1v2=2πr−W2W2
III. conclusion
v1v2=w1πr−w1=2πr−W2W1w1πr−w1=2πr−W2W2w1⋅W2=(2πr−W2)(πr−w1)w1⋅W2=2π2r2−2πr⋅w1+W2πr+w1⋅W2w1⋅W2=2π2r2−r(2πw1+W2π)+w1⋅W22π2r2−r(2πw1+W2π)=02π2r2=r(2πw1+W2π)|:r2π2r=2πw1+W2π|:π2πr=2⋅w1+W2|w1=20 LyW2=10 Ly2πr=2⋅(20 Ly)+10 Ly2πr=50 Ly
The circumference of the circular course is 50 light years.
