SOLUTION: A car traveled 1950 mi at a certain speed. If the speed had been 13 mph faster, the trip could have been made in 5 hr less time. Find the speed.

Algebra.Com
Question 1071927: A car traveled 1950 mi at a certain speed. If the speed had been 13 mph faster, the trip could have been made in 5 hr less time. Find the speed.
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, ikleyn:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!










discriminant is .


Answer by ikleyn(52787)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
Let r" be the actual speed, in mph.

Then the hypothetical speed is (r+13) mph.


Moving at the speed of "r" miles per hour, the car spends  hours.

Traveling with the hypothetical speed, the car would spend  hours.

The condition says

 = 5.


It is your "time" equation.  You must solve it for "r". 
To do it, multiply both sides by the common denominator r*(r+13). You will get

1950*(r+13) - 1950*r = 5r*(r+13),

 = ,

 = 0.

Factor it:

(r+78)*(r-65) = 0.


The only positive root is r = 65.

Answer. The speed of the car is 65 mph.



RELATED QUESTIONS

A car traveled 3276 mi at a certain speed. If the speed had been 13 mph faster, the trip (answered by mananth)
A car traveled 468 mi at a certain speed. If the speed had been 13 mph faster, the trip... (answered by stanbon)
a car traveled 1350 mi at a certain speed. if the speed had been 9 mph faster, the trip... (answered by josgarithmetic)
a car traveled 4032 mi at a certain speed. if the speed had been 16 mph faster, the trip... (answered by lwsshak3,mananth)
A car traveled 1800 mi at a certain speed. If the speed had been 12 mph faster, the trip... (answered by josgarithmetic,MathTherapy)
Lisa traveled 1040 mi at a certain speed. If the speed had been 13 mph faster, the trip... (answered by ewatrrr)
a car traveled 1520 miles at a certain speed. if the speed had been 19 mph faster, the... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
A car traveled 1650 miles at a certain speed. If the speed had been 11 MPH faster, the... (answered by josgarithmetic,josmiceli,MathTherapy)
A car traveled 1280 miles at a certain speed. If the speed had been 16 mph faster, the... (answered by stanbon)