SOLUTION: A runner decides to run out in the country. He begins to run at an average rate of 9 miles per hour. He runs a certain distance and then turns around and returns along the same rou

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Question 37849: A runner decides to run out in the country. He begins to run at an average rate of 9 miles per hour. He runs a certain distance and then turns around and returns along the same route at an average rate of 6 miles per hour. If the round trip took 2 and a half hours, how far did the runner travel before turning around?
I worked it out And I got no where neer close to 2 and a half hours I got 18 but i dont know what i did so plz help
Answer by fractalier(2101) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The main operating equation in this kind of problem is D = RT, distance equals rate times time...
Here the distances are equal.
His rate one way is 9 and the other way, 6.
We'll call his time the first way t.
Then his return time must be 5/2 - t since the total is 5/2.
So we have
9t = 6(5/2 - t)
9t = 15 - 6t
15t = 15
t = 1
and so he ran 9t or 9 miles on the first way...