As a last ditch attempt to destroy a meteor propelling towards Earth, NASA scientists decide to launch a nuclear warhead. As the two converge, the missile and the meteor are at right angles to each other. The nuke is 700 miles away from the point of impact and traveling at 900 MPH; the meteor is 500 miles from impact and traveling at 1100 MPH.

(1) At what rate is the distance between the two decreasing?

(2) How much time until they converge?

(3) Since the beginning of the war in Iraq, how many people have died in the US due to inflated defense budgets in lieu of increased health department budgets?