SOLUTION: Need help solving a word problem with drawing a diagram and a table. Olimpiada Ivanova, a world-record holding race-walker, is on one end of a 6-mile track. John Doe, an average

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Question 627061: Need help solving a word problem with drawing a diagram and a table.
Olimpiada Ivanova, a world-record holding race-walker, is on one end of a 6-mile track. John Doe, an average walker, is on the other end of the track. The two start walking towards each other and meet in 1/2 hour. If Olimpiada's average speed exceeds John's by 6 mph, find the speed of both walkers.
represent your unknown: ?
S=Speed for both walkers
J+6=Olympiada's average speed
draw diagram:
fill out a table:
solve equation:
check:
Answer by psbhowmick(878) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Solve it like this. The way you were proceeding is incorrect as the average speed of both are NOT the same.

Let the average speed of Olimpiada be x mph.
Then, Joe's average speed is (x-6) mph.

Hence, the distance covered by Olimpiada in 0.5 hr = x/2 miles, and
the distance covered by John in 0.5 hr = (x-6)/2 miles.

Each were at the extreme end of the 6 mile long track and they meet each other in 0.5 hr.

The sum of the distance travelled by them when they met each other is 6 miles.
x%2F2+%2B+%28x-6%29%2F2+=+6
2x+-+6+=+12
x+=+18%2F2=9

Thus, Olimpiada's average speed is 9 mph whereas John's average speed is 3 mph.