SOLUTION: I need help with this word problem. Two cars are in the same parking lot. The first car leaves the lot at 1:00pm and travels at an average speed of 40 mph down a highway. An hour

Question 715132: I need help with this word problem.
Two cars are in the same parking lot. The first car leaves the lot at 1:00pm and travels at an average speed of 40 mph down a highway. An hour later, at 2:00pm the second car leaves and travels at an average speed of 50 mph in the same direction on the same road. How many hours will the second car have to drive to catch up to the first car?
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Two cars are in the same parking lot.
The first car leaves the lot at 1:00pm and travels at an average speed of 40 mph down a highway.
An hour later, at 2:00pm the second car leaves and travels at an average speed of 50 mph in the same direction on the same road.
How many hours will the second car have to drive to catch up to the first car?
:
Let t = travel time of the 2nd car to catch the first
then
(t+1) = travel time of the 1st car, when it is caught (left an hour earlier)
:
When this happens, both cars will have traveled the same distance.
Write a distance equation; dist = speed * time
:
2nd car dist = 1st car dist
50t = 40(t+1)
50t = 40t + 40
50t - 40t = 40
10t = 40
t = 40/10
t = 4 hrs for the 2nd car to catch the 1st
:
That's pretty easy, isn't it?
:
Check this by finding the actual dist each car traveled
50(4) = 200 mi
40(5) = 200 mi
RELATED QUESTIONS
Please help me solve this word problem: A drug store parking lot has space for 1000... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

There are ten vehicles parked in a parking lot. Each is either a car with four tires or a (answered by Edwin McCravy)

Please help me with this word problem: The parking lot behind Kai's Kafe has a perimeter (answered by rfer)

need help on what the step are on how to solve questions like this one. There are a few... (answered by checkley79)

two casrs leave a parking lot at the same time.one car travel south at 55 mph and other... (answered by josgarithmetic,Alan3354)

At 11 o'clock this morning, mel's parking lot was full. Mel noticed that the ratio of... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

Tutor can you help me with this word problem: A parking lot has a perimeter of 600 feet. (answered by checkley77)

Greetings, I solved part of this problem, just need a bit of help with the second... (answered by math_tutor2020)

Hi I need help on this question I'm struggling with. Thank you in advance! The... (answered by FrankM)