wu :: forums - Print Page


    
      
        wu :: forums
        (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        riddles >> easy >> Aeroplane encounter
        
(Message started by: regaleira on Jul 6^th, 2005, 10:47am)

Title: Aeroplane encounter
Post by regaleira on Jul 6^th, 2005, 10:47am

Two planes take off at the same exact moment. They are flying across the Atlantic. One leaves New York and is flying to Paris at 500 miles per hour. The other leaves Paris and is flying to New York at only 450 miles per hour ( because of a strong head wind ). Which one will be closer to Paris when they meet?

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by baddab457 on Jul 6^th, 2005, 10:58am

how far away is paris to new york?

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by fatball on Jul 6^th, 2005, 11:03am

on 07/06/05 at 10:58:30, baddab457 wrote:

how far away is paris to new york?

You can assume 5000km. Baddab, can you generalize the case with X km? ;D
Regaleira, it is true that this is an easy forum, but it seems that your riddles are getting easier and easier ever......and that it will soon fall out of the definiton of an easy riddle.... just kidding :P

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by regaleira on Jul 6^th, 2005, 11:04am

does that really matter?!

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by honkyboy on Jul 6^th, 2005, 11:08am

For the answer you would need to know the altitudes of the planes when they meet.

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by THUDandBLUNDER on Jul 6^th, 2005, 12:11pm

If they fly directly to their destinations, then the plane that left Paris will be slightly nearer to Paris when they meet. :P

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by fatball on Jul 6^th, 2005, 12:30pm

Also, since we are all kind-hearted people, we don't want anybody to get killed when the planes 'meet' (collide), thus I assume that when the planes do meet, they are effectively resting side by side with each other, or one on top of another, with a finite distance. Thus, in order to answer the question, we need to find out the relative positions of the two planes (horizontal or vertical) and the minimum safety distance between them in order to aovid a collision. Then, by forming a triangle with Paris, we can calculate who is nearer... 8)

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by honkyboy on Jul 6^th, 2005, 12:34pm

Air Traffic Control would direct planes that close to fly at separate altitudes. Usually by a difference of at least several thousand feet.
I would think the plane closer to the ground would also be closer to Paris. (and New York)

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by regaleira on Jul 6^th, 2005, 1:12pm

I can´t believe that the right answer to this easy riddle hasn´t came up yet!

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by THUDandBLUNDER on Jul 6^th, 2005, 1:20pm

on 07/06/05 at 13:12:53, regaleira wrote:

I can´t believe that the right answer to this easy riddle hasn´t came up yet!

Sorry regaleira, but your puzzles are too easy, too well-known, and have already been posted here several times.

Anyway, why do you think that your answers are the only 'right' ones? :P

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by raprap on Jul 6^th, 2005, 1:30pm

More Important---where will they bury the survivors?

I mean two planes meeting at a combined speed of 950mph are gonna crash big.

Rap

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by regaleira on Jul 6^th, 2005, 1:37pm

on 07/06/05 at 13:20:26, THUDandBLUNDER wrote:

Sorry regaleira, but your puzzles are too easy, too well-known, and have already been posted here several times.

Anyway, why do you think that your answers are the only 'right' ones? :P

My puzzles are too easy but i bet you dont know the answer to this one ::)

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by try me on Jul 6^th, 2005, 1:46pm

Regaleira, if you read carefully and is willing to think outside the box, fatball has already clearly indicated that he knew what was the 'right' answer in your head, i.e., both are at the same distance to Paris as they will occupy exactly the same spot when they meet and no one can be nearer, right? If this is the only 'right' answer you can comprehend (perhaps through reading the answer from some elementayr riddles book or website), then you are totally ignoring the safety of passengers (at least one, the pilot) on board each plane; even so, either one can still be nearer as the bodies can fall at different rates and directions depending on the magnitude and angles of impact they were getting when the planes collided... :'(

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by THUDandBLUNDER on Jul 6^th, 2005, 1:49pm

on 07/06/05 at 13:37:54, regaleira wrote:

My puzzles are too easy but i bet you dont know the answer to this one ::)

I bait you don't either!

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by paul schmitz on Jul 6^th, 2005, 10:28pm

yeah, yeah, i was thinking the wrong answer initially... anyways, to make sure no one gets embarassed:

[hide]when they meet they will be at the same place, so they are the same distance from anywhere.[/hide]

Title: Re: Aeroplane encounter
Post by fatball on Jul 7^th, 2005, 7:15am

paul, do you use different ids to log on and roleplay yourself? ;D

for your answer, please refer to above threads for comments...