Two trains leave a city on parallel tracks, traveling the same direction. The passenger train is going twice as fast as the freight train. After 45 minutes, the trains are 30 miles apart. Find the speed of each train.
Two ways. (1) In your head or (2) by algebra:
In your head:
Since the faster train goes twice as fast as the slower
train, then after 45 minutes, the faster train must be
twice as far from the station as the slower train, so
the slower train is 30 miles from the station and 30
miles from the faster train, which is 60 miles from the
station. So it took the slower train 45 minutes to go
30 miles, so it could go another 1/3 of 30 or 10 more
miles in 1/3 of 45 or 15 more minutes. So it could go
40 miles in one hour, and the faster train could go 80
miles in one hour. So their speeds are 40 mph and 80 mph.
By algebra:
Make this chart:
Rate Time Distance
Fast train
Slow train
Let x = the slow train's rate and 2x = the fast train's rate.
Fill those in
Rate Time Distance
Fast train 2x
Slow train x
Esch went for 45 minutes after leaving the station. Since
45 minutes is 3/4 hour, we put 3/4 for both times.
Rate Time Distance
Fast train 2x 3/4
Slow train x 3/4
Then we use Distance = Rate × time to fill in the Distances
Rate Time Distance
Fast train 2x 3/4 (6/4)x
Slow train x 3/4 (3/4)x
To make the equation:
Fast train's distance = Slow train's distance + 30
(6/4)x - (3/4)x = 30
(3/4)x = 30
Multiply both sides by 4
3x = 120
x = 40
So the slower train is going 40 mph and the faster
train is going twice that speed or 80 mph.
Edwin