0Three small snails are each at a vertex of an equilateral triangle of side 60 cm. The first sets out towards the second, the second towards the third and the third towards the first, with a uniform speed of 5 cm/min. During their motion, each of them always heads towards its respective target snail. How much time has passed, and what distance do the snails cover before they meet?
Answer: Resolve the velocity of snail 2 into a component pointing towards snail 1 and a component perpendicular to this. These two snails approach each other at a relative speed of v+V/2=3v/2=7.5cm/min, and therefore they meet after a time given by 60/7.5=8min.
They must all meet after this time and as they actually travel at a speed of 5 cm/min, they each cover a distance of 40 cm before doing so.
