Question

Whitney left school and drove 7 miles to meet her mother at a restaurant. Her mother left at the same time and drove 8 miles, traveling 5 mi/h faster than her daughter. If the two arrived at the restaurant at the same time, what was Whitney’s speed?

Answer 1

40

Explanation:

If Whitney was driving x speed, her mother was driving x+5. Multiply that by the distance each traveled, and you have an equation that looks like this:

8(x+5) = 7(x)

Simplify it and you get:

8x + 40 = 7x

Now solve regularly:

8x-8x + 40 = 8x - 7x

40 = 1x

40 = x

Whitney's speed: 40

Her mother's speed: 45