SOLUTION: Okay,so its the first day of school and i already have homework,and i don't understand how to do this problem. All we have talked about(since the first day of school was today,fres

Algebra ->  Distributive-associative-commutative-properties -> SOLUTION: Okay,so its the first day of school and i already have homework,and i don't understand how to do this problem. All we have talked about(since the first day of school was today,fres      Log On


   

Question 330340: Okay,so its the first day of school and i already have homework,and i don't understand how to do this problem. All we have talked about(since the first day of school was today,freshmen!)is the distributive property. So i'm guessing it involves that. Here's the problem she gave us:
Birmingham and Oxford are 60 miles away.Bhams west and Oxford is east.It's 2:00 PM.Both Chris and Annette are leaving.(Annette going to Bham and Chris to Oxford)Annette's going 80 MPH while Chris is going 60.They meet somewhere between there.Where do they meet(ex.12 miles from Bham,its an awnser like that) and what time?
help?please?
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Sorry to disappoint, but this has nothing whatever to do with the distributive property.

This is a relative rate problem. Since one of them is going 80 and the other 60 they are going 140 relative to each other. They have 60 miles to cover together, so the elapsed time when they meet is the distance divided by the rate, or 60 divided by 140, which is to say hour. Since Chris is going 60, he has traveled miles and he has accomplished this feat in minutes. So if they left at 2:00 pm it is 2:25.7 when they meet -- IF AND ONLY IF Annette didn't get stopped and cited for going 80 mph in a 65 mph zone.


John

My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it