Question

Two trains leave Union station in Chicago at 9 am. One train goes straight east to New York, while the other goes straight west to San Francisco. The San Francisco train travels 5 mi/h faster than the New York one. After 6 hours they are 1,050 miles apart. How fast is each train traveling?

Answer 1

• SF: 90 mph
• NY: 85 mph

Explanation:

Let s represent the speed of the San Francisco train. Then the distance they cover is ...

6s +6(s -5) = 1050

12s -30 = 1050

12s = 1080

s = 90

s-5 = 85

The west-bound train is traveling 90 mph; the east-bound train is traveling 85 mph.