Problema Solution
A train leaves San Diego at 4:00 PM. A second train leaves the same city in the same direction at 6:00 PM. The second train travels 24 mph faster than the first. If the second train overtakes the first at 11:00 PM, what is the speed of each of the two trains?
Answer provided by our tutors
so we assume both trains are on parallel, equal tracks
the first train would have traveled for 11-4=7 hours, the second train would have traveled for 11-6=5 hours before both trains are next to each other
let 'x' represent the speed of the first train, then 'x+24' represents the speed of the second train
let 'x' be miles per hour, therefore '7x' cancels the hour unit and calculates a distance in miles, so we express the distance of both trains traveling the same distance:
7x = 5(x+24)
-----------------------
-----------------------
x=60
60+24=84
The first train was traveling at 60 mph, the second train was traveling at 84 mph.