Physics for Scientists and Engineers 3E by R. Knight, C1E&P20

Write a short description of the motion of a real object for which Figure EX1.20 would be a realistic position-versus-time graph.

Figure 1.20 Physics for Scientists and Engineers Third Edition by Randall Knight
Figure EX1.20

Solution:

Forty miles into a car trip north from his home in El Dorado, an absent-minded English professor stopped at a rest area one Saturday. After staying there for one hour, he headed back home thinking that he was supposed to go on this trip on Sunday. Absent-mindedly he missed his exit and stopped after one hour of driving at another rest area 20 miles south of El Dorado. After waiting there for one hour, he drove back very slowly, confused and tired as he was, and reached El Dorado two hours later.