SOLUTION: Smith travels 45 miles going East from the center of the town and Jones travels 70 miles going West from the same point. If Jones averages 5 miles per hour more than Smith and his

Question 302429: Smith travels 45 miles going East from the center of the town and Jones travels 70 miles going West from the same point. If Jones averages 5 miles per hour more than Smith and his trip took � hour longer than Smith�s. How fast was each of them traveling?
Answer by josmiceli(19441) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let = Smith's speed
Then = Jone's speed
Let = Smith's time
Then = Jone's time
Write an equation for each one
For Smith:

For Jones:

This is 2 equations and 2 unknowns, so it's solvable

by substitution:

by substitution again:

Multiply both sides by

Use quadratic formula

There's a choice of 2 answers. I'll try

check:

hrs
and

hrs
hrs
----------------------
also:

check:

hrs
hrs
There are 2 possibilities:
(1)
Smith traveled 30 mi/hr
Jones traveled 35 mi/hr
(2)
Smith traveled 15 mi/hr
Jones traveled 20 mi/hr

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