Compute time required to travel given distance with constant acceleration and known initial speed

Question

What informations I have:

What I need:

What would be the formula that gives me that?

If this answer is correct, the formula for an initial speed of $0$ is:

$$\text{time} = \sqrt{\frac{2 \cdot \text{distance}}{\text{acceleration}}}$$

I can't determine the equivalent with a non-null initial speed.

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 22 '18 at 18:47

1

The formula $d = v_0t+(at^2/2)$ is what you want. The variable $v_0$ is the initial speed.

Use the quadratic formula to solve for $t$.

answered Jan 22 '18 at 18:47

John

Thank you. How is it that it gives me 2 values then? Do I need to discard the negative one automatically? – cyphics Jan 22 '18 at 18:54
If one solution doesn't make sense physically, discard it. – John Jan 22 '18 at 19:08

1 Answers1