Edexcel M4 — Question 3

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM4 (Mechanics 4)
TopicVectors Introduction & 2D

  1. At noon a motorboat \(P\) is 2 km north-west of another motorboat \(Q\). The motorboat \(P\) is moving due south at \(20 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). The motorboat \(Q\) is pursuing motorboat \(P\) at a speed of \(12 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) and sets a course in order to get as close to motorboat \(P\) as possible.
    1. Find the course set by \(Q\), giving your answer as a bearing to the nearest degree.
    2. Find the shortest distance between \(P\) and \(Q\).
    3. Find the distance travelled by \(Q\) from its position at noon to the point of closest approach.