Question

A transportation company is interested in knowing the amount of time it takes for the different type of vehicles they own to travel certain distances based on their different speeds. A car travels 180 miles in the same time that a truck travels 120 miles. If the car’s speed is 20 miles per hour faster than the truck’s, find the car’s speed and the truck’s speed.​

Answer 1

• 60 mph and 40 mph

Explanation:

Let the speed of the car = x and the speed of the truck = y

We have following equations:

• 180/x = 120/y
• x = y + 20

Simplify the first equation and substitute x:

• 180y = 120x
• 2x = 3y
• 2(y + 20) = 3y
• 2y + 40 = 3y
• 3y - 2y = 40
• y = 40

Find the value of x:

• x = 40 + 20 = 60

Car's speed 60 mph

Truck's speed 40 mph