SOLUTION: A motorist travels 90 miles at a rate of 20 miles per hour. If he returns the same distance at an average rate of 40 miles per hour, what is his average speed for the entire trip,

Question 359367: A motorist travels 90 miles at a rate of 20 miles per hour. If he returns the same distance at an average rate of 40 miles per hour, what is his average speed for the entire trip, in miles per hour?
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
A motorist travels 90 miles at a rate of 20 miles per hour.
If he returns the same distance at an average rate of 40 miles per hour,
what is his average speed for the entire trip, in miles per hour?
:
Let a = average speed for the trip
:
Write a time equation, time = dist/speed
:
Go time + return time = total time
+ =
:
Multiply by 40a to clear the denominators, then solve for a
RELATED QUESTIONS
a motorcyclist travels 90 miles at rate of 20 miles per hour, if he returns same distance (answered by mananth)

A man travels a distance of 20 miles at 60 miles per hour and then returns over the same... (answered by stanbon)

A motorist starts from city A at 2:00 P.M. and travels to city B at an average speed of... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

A man travels a certain distance at 60 miles per hour and returns over the same road at... (answered by Alan3354)

As a motorist approaches the turnpike, he travels at the rate of 20 miles per hour in... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

A motorist travels 120 miles from Antwerp to Brussels at an average speed of 48 mph. She... (answered by ReadingBoosters)

A car travels a distance of 1742 miles at an average rate of 40 mph and returns at an... (answered by checkley75)

A car travels a distance of 1742 miles at an average rate of 40 mph and returns at an... (answered by stanbon,nerdybill)

A man travels from A to B at average speed of 30 miles per hour and returns from B to A... (answered by richwmiller)