Stopping Distance Components

Steps:

• Driver perceives hazard and reacts during thinking time, covering thinking distance at initial speed.
• Braking begins after reaction, decelerating the car over braking distance.
• Total distance from hazard sighting to stop combines both phases.
• Formula adds distances since they are sequential segments of travel.

Why A is correct:

• Stopping distance is defined as the sum of thinking distance (reaction phase) and braking distance (deceleration phase) in physics.

Why the others are wrong:

• B: Subtraction yields negative or incorrect value, ignoring additive path.
• C: Multiplication produces area units, not linear distance.
• D: Identical to A, but question specifies A as correct option.

Final answer: A