Problema Solution
a motorist driving 75 m.p.h. is chased by a state trouper going 90 m.p.h. if the motorist is 3 miles ahead of the trouper how long will it take the trouper to over take the motorist?
Answer provided by our tutors
distance = speed * time
time = distance / speed
they both drive the same time, the motorist drives 'x-3' miles, the trooper drives 'x' miles and we set their distance/speed expressions equal to each other:
(x-3)/75 = x/90
solving for 'x' we have x=18
the trooper drives 18 miles at 90mph:
(18/90) * 60 = 12
it takes the trooper 12 minutes to overtake the motorist