Question

Two trains are 348 miles apart, and their speeds differ by 22 mph. Find the speed of each train if they are traveling toward each other and will meet in 3 hours

Answer 1

The two trains are 348 miles apart:

Since the speed of both trains differ by 22 mph

Let the speeds be x and x + 22

Distance = Speed * time

In 3 hours the train traveling x mph would have traveled = 3*x = 3x miles.

In 3 hours the train traveling (x+22) mph would have traveled = 3*(x+22)

= 3*x + 3*22 = 3x + 66 miles.

Total = 3x + 3x + 66 = 348

3x + 3x + 66 = 348

6x + 66 = 348

6x = 348 - 66

6x = 282

x = 282/6

x = 47

Recall the speeds of each train were x, and (x + 22) mph

x = 47, x + 22 = 47 + 22 = 69

So speed of each train is 47 mph and 69 mph

I hope this helped.

Answer 2

Total distance between the trains = 348 miles

Total time to cross that distance by trains = 3 h.

So, sum of their speed would be: 348/3 = 116

A.T.Q,

Speed of train 1 - speed of train 2 = 22

so, two equation that has formed are:

a+b=116

a-b=22, a=b+22

Substitute that in above equation; b+22+b=116

2b= 94, b=47 & a=116-47 =69

Speed of the TRAIN IS 47 & 69 miles per hour.

Did you understand?