Problema Solution

Two trains are 360 miles apart and traveling toward each other.If one train is 20 mph faster than the other

Find the speed of each train

Answer provided by our tutors

let


v1 = the speed of the first train


v2 = the speed of the second train


d = 360 mi


t = the total time of the travel for each train


one train is 20 mph faster than the other:


v2 = v1 + 20


since speed = distance/time we have distance = speed*time:


v1t + v2t = 360


plug v2 = v1 + 20 into last equation and solve for v2


v1t + (v1 + 20)t = 360


v1 + v1 + 20 = 360/t


v1 = (1/2)(360/t - 20) mph


v2 = 20 + (1/2)(360/t - 20) mph


the speed of the first train is: (1/2)(360/t - 20) mph


the speed of the second train is: 20 + (1/2)(360/t - 20) mph


where t is the time of the travel for each train.