SOLUTION: Two cars left Raleigh at the same time headed for Nashville. The Miata averages 65 mph while the Metro averages only 55 mph. In how many hours will they be 55 miles apart? I need

Question 518264: Two cars left Raleigh at the same time headed for Nashville. The Miata averages 65 mph while the Metro averages only 55 mph. In how many hours will they be 55 miles apart?
I need help with the equation!
Answer by x24_math(1) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
To begin, we must start with an equation. Now since the answer is in hours (we want to know how many hours it takes to have the cars 55 miles apart)
we attach a variable to the equation representing hours.
and
. Now since we want to known how long it will take for Metro and Miata to be 55 miles apart we write an equation

>>>>Note: the reason we subtract 65h from 55h is because 65h (Miata) will travel faster than 55h (Metro) and we want to find the "difference" between them.<<<<<
Now we can combine "like terms" or simply subtract the from the to get to make:

Next we divide both sides by to get by it self:

Finally through some simple simplification we can figure out that the cancels out to be just and the can be rewritten as
Thus the answer is
Or simply put, in five and a half hours Miata will be 55 miles ahead of Metro.

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