Chapter 2, Problem 10P

To set a speed record in a measured (straight-line) distance d, a race car must be driven first in one direction (in time t₁)and then in the opposite direction (in time t₂). (a) To eliminate the effects of the wind and obtain the car’s speed v_c in a windless situation, should we find the average of d/t_l and d/t₂ (method 1) or should we divide d by the average of t₁ and t₂? (b) What is the fractional difference in the two methods when a steady wind blows along the car’s route and the ratio of the wind speed v_w to the car’s speed v_c is 0.0240?