Final answer:
Richard will save approximately 13.68 minutes by driving at 73 mph for 135 miles instead of at the speed limit of 65 mph. The mathematical concept used involves calculating travel time at different speeds and finding the difference between these times.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question involves calculating how much time Richard will save by driving at 73 mph instead of the speed limit of 65 mph for a distance of 135 miles. This is a mathematics problem that falls under the category of rate, time, and distance, which is often covered in high school math classes.
To solve this, we need to calculate the time taken to travel 135 miles at both speeds and then find the difference in time. At 65 mph, the time taken (T1) is 135 miles / 65 mph. At 73 mph, the time taken (T2) is 135 miles / 73 mph. The time saved is T1 - T2.
Using the formula time = distance / speed, we get:
Time at 65 mph: T1 = 135 mi / 65 mph = 2.077 hours
Time at 73 mph: T2 = 135 mi / 73 mph = 1.849 hours
The time saved is T1 - T2 = 2.077 hours - 1.849 hours = 0.228 hours, which is about 13.68 minutes.