Math Is Fun Forum

sms37

Member

Registered: 2012-11-03

Posts: 2

Hare and Hound puzzle

There is rectangular field ABCD.Sides AB and CD measure 600 ft;BC and AD measure 900 ft. A dog at corner A spots a rabbit at corner B and starts running at 30 mph to catch it.Simultaneously,the rabbit starts running away at 24 mph to a safe refuge at corner C. The dog keeps aim at the rabbit during the chase.

The questions:
1. Will the dog be able to catch the rabbit before it reaches the safe refuge?
2. What would be the shape of its path and it's precise mathematical formula?
3. Is there a better path the smarter dog would have chosen?

Only by actually drawing the path in small segments I have tried to solve the problem.I would appreciate if someone could do the appropriate math.

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Hare and Hound puzzle

Hi;

Your problem sounds like a pursuit curve.

Have you looked here:

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/PursuitCurve.html

http://curvebank.calstatela.edu/pursuit2/pursuit2.htm

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