SOLUTION: can someone please help with this brain teaser: Two freight trains are traveling in the same direction on parallel tracks, one at 60mph and the other at 40mph. If each train is a 1

Question 358071: can someone please help with this brain teaser: Two freight trains are traveling in the same direction on parallel tracks, one at 60mph and the other at 40mph. If each train is a 1/2 mile long, then how long does it take for the faster train to pass the slower train?
Answer by Alan3354(69443) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
It depends on the starting position.
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If you mean from the time the faster train's front is even with the rear of the slower train, until the fronts and backs are reversed, then:
The relative speed is 20 mph (60 - 40)
The total distance is 1 mile, from the fast train being even with the rear of the slow train to vice versa
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1 mile/20 mph = 1/20 hour = 3 minutes.

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