SOLUTION: Two planes start from the same airport and fly in opposite directions. The second plane starts 0.5 hours after the first plane, but it's speed is 80 km/hr faster. Find the speed of

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Question 495658: Two planes start from the same airport and fly in opposite directions. The second plane starts 0.5 hours after the first plane, but it's speed is 80 km/hr faster. Find the speed of each plane if after 2 hours the planes are 3200 km apart.
I have tried setting up two seperate equations using the distance formula. The equations looked like this: 1600=2x, 1600=1.5(x+80). I am not sure what I am doing wrong.

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20064)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Two planes start from the same airport and fly in opposite directions. The second plane starts 0.5 hours after the first plane, but it's speed is 80 km/hr faster. Find the speed of each plane if after 2 hours the planes are 3200 km apart.
Is that 2 hours after the first plane left, or 2 hours after the second 
plane left?  You didn't tell us, and "after 2 hours" doesn't tell us,
So I'll have to do it both ways, and you'll have to ask your teacher 
whether the 2 hours was after the first plane left or 2 hours after the 
second plane left.

If it was 2 hours after the first plane left then the first plane 
flew for 2 hours and the second plane flew for 1.5 hours.

If it was 2 hours after the second plane left then the first plane 
flew for 2.5 hours and the second plane flew for 2 hours.

1.  Assuming it was 2 hours after the first plane left.

Make this chart: 
                        Distance     Rate     Time 
First plane to leave                                     
Plane that left later   


Fill in those two times:

                        Distance     Rate     Time 
First plane to leave                            2
Plane that left later                          1.5

Let x = the rate of the first plane to leave, and since the
second plane to leave was flying 80 km/hr faster, its rate
is x+ 80.  So we fill those in: 

                        Distance     Rate     Time 
First plane to leave                  x         2
Plane that left later                x+80      1.5


Now we fill in the Distances using Distance = Rate × Time

                        Distance     Rate     Time 
First plane to leave       2x         x         2
Plane that left later   1.5(x+80)    x+80      1.5


The sum of the distances must equal 3200 km

               2x + 1.5(x+80) = 3200
              2x + 1.5x + 120 = 3200
                   3.5x + 120 = 3200
                         3.5x = 3080
                            x = 
                            x = 880 km/hr

If the 2 hours is after the second plane left then

The first plane to leave traveled 880 kn/hr and the
second one to leave traveled 80 km/hr faster or 960 km/hr 

----------------------------------------------

2.  Assuming it was 2 hours after the second plane left, the
times are different

                        Distance     Rate     Time 
First plane to leave      2.5x         x       2.5
Plane that left later    2(x+80)     x+80       2


The sum of the distances must equal 3200 km

               2.5x + 2(x+80) = 3200
              2.5x + 2x + 160 = 3200
                   4.5x + 160 = 3200
                         4.5x = 3040
                            x = 
                            x = 
                            x = 675.6 approximately
                            
The first plane to leave traveled approximately 675.6 kn/hr and the
second one to leave traveled 80 km/hr faster or 755.6 km/hr approximately.

-------------------

The first way came out an exact answer.  This one came out a fraction.
But either is feasible.  Take your pick or ask your teacher which one
is the right one.

Edwin

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