we are given
A bee flies at 20 feet per second directly to a flower bed from its hive
so, forward speed is
[tex] s_f=20 [/tex]
flies directly back to the hive at 12 feet per second
so, backward speed is
[tex] s_b=12 [/tex]
It is away from the hive fore 20 minutes total
so,
total time = forward time + backward time + stay time
The bee stays at the flower bed for 15 minutes,
20 =tf+tb+15
[tex] t_f+t_b=5min [/tex]
now, we can change it into seconds
[tex] t_f+t_b=5*60sec [/tex]
[tex] t_f+t_b=300sec [/tex]
(a)
we know that
distance between hive and flower bed will remain same
Let's assume
forward time =x
so,
[tex] t_f=x [/tex]
[tex] t_b=300-x [/tex]
we know that
distance = speed*time
[tex] d=s_f*t_f [/tex]
now, we can plug values
[tex] d=20*x [/tex]
[tex] d=s_b*t_b [/tex]
now, we can plug values
[tex] d=12*(300-x) [/tex]
both distances are same
[tex] 20x=12*(300-x) [/tex]
(b)
now, we can solve above equations and find x
[tex] 20x=12*(300-x) [/tex]
[tex] 20x=3600-12x [/tex]
add both sides 12x
[tex] 20x+12x=3600-12x+12x [/tex]
[tex] 32x=3600 [/tex]
[tex] x=112.5 [/tex]
now, we can find distance
[tex] d=20*112.5 [/tex]
[tex] d=2250 [/tex]
so, distance between hive and flower bed is 2250 feet.........Answer