A train pulls away from a station with a constant acceleration of 0.42 m/s2. A passenger arrives at a point next to the track 6.4 s after the end of the train has passed the very same point. What is the slowest constant speed at which she can run and still catch the train?

First lets find the position of the train as a function of time as seen by the passenger when he arrives to the train station. For this state, the train is at a position x0 given by:

x0 = (1/2)(0.42m/s^2)*(6.4s)^2 = 8.6016 m

So, the position as a function of time is:

xT(t)=(1/2)(0.42m/s^2)t^2 + x0 = (1/2)(0.42m/s^2)t^2 + 8.6016 m

Now, if the passanger is moving at a constant velocity of V, his position as a fucntion of time is given by:

xP(t)=V*t

In order for the passenger to catch the train

xP(t)=xT(t)

(1/2)(0.42m/s^2)t^2 + 8.6016 m = V*t

To solve this equation for t we make use of the quadratic formula, which has real solutions whenever its determinat is grater than zero:

0≤ b^2-4*a*c = V^2 - 4 * ((1/2)(0.42m/s^2)) * 8.6016 m =V^2 - 7.22534(m/s)^2

This equation give us the minimum velocity the passenger must have in order to catch the train:

V^2 - 7.22534(m/s)^2 = 0

V^2 = 7.22534(m/s)^2

V = 2.6879 m/s