You are a highway patrol officer, seated on a motorcycle, on a curvy section of Highway 1. The posted speed limit is 45 miles per hour (mph) on this stretch of highway. You are monitoring
traffic with a radar gun. The first exit is 3.6 miles up the road. Your radar picks up a speeding car
averaging 68 mph. When you try to start your motorcycle to follow the car, it won't start. You try
again and again, and soon you fear that you won't be able to catch the speeding car before it
can turn off the highway. Finally, your motorcycle starts and you begin your pursuit 30 seconds
after the speeding car has passed you on the roadside.
How fast do you need to go to catch up to the speeding car? What is your average speed in
pursuit? Illustrate the speed of the speeding car as well as your own motorcycle during this
pursuit
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Is your own speed reasonable and safe? Explain why this is or is not a good location at which
to monitor traffic.