7. At 6 a.m. a cargo ship has position vector \(( 7 \mathbf { i } + 56 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { km }\) relative to a fixed origin \(O\) on the coast and moves with constant velocity \(( 9 \mathbf { i } - 6 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { kmh } ^ { - 1 }\).
A ferry sails from \(O\) at 6 a.m. and moves with constant velocity \(( 12 \mathbf { i } + 18 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { km } \mathrm { h } ^ { - 1 }\). The unit vectors \(\mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\) are directed due east and due north respectively.
- Show that the position vector of the cargo ship \(t\) hours after 6 a.m. is given by
$$[ ( 7 + 9 t ) \mathbf { i } + ( 56 - 6 t ) \mathbf { j } ] \mathrm { km }$$
and find the position vector of the ferry in terms of \(t\).
- Show that if both vessels maintain their course and speed, they will collide and find the time and position vector at which this occurs.
(6 marks)
At 8 a.m. the captain of the ferry realises that a collision is imminent and changes course so that the ferry now has velocity \(( 21 \mathbf { i } + 6 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { kmh } ^ { - 1 }\). - Find the distance between the two ships at the time when they would have collided.