A hazard appears 40 m ahead of a car travelling at 72 km/h. The driver reacts after 1 s and brakes at 5 m/s squared. How far past the hazard's position does the car stop?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. 20 m

  1. Step 1: Speed = 20 m/s; thinking distance = 20 x 1 = 20 m; braking distance = 20 squared / (2 x 5) = 40 m, so stopping distance = 60 m. Step 2. The car needs 60 m but only 40 m are free, so it stops 60 - 40 = 20 m beyond the hazard's position. Answer: 20 m. Why not the others: 40 m: 40 m is the braking distance alone, leaving out the thinking distance and the gap. 60 m: 60 m is the whole stopping distance, with no allowance for the 40 m gap. 100 m: 100 m adds the gap instead of subtracting it.

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