document.write( "Question 405193: Two trucks leave from the same truck stop at the same time. One travels east on interstae 80 and the other travels west. The eastbound truck averages 40 miles per hour, and the westbound truck averages 50 miles per hour. In how many hours will the trucks be 300 miles apart? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #286244 by Edwin McCravy(20056) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Two trucks leave from the same truck stop at the same time. One travels east on interstae 80 and the other travels west. The eastbound truck averages 40 miles per hour, and the westbound truck averages 50 miles per hour. In how many hours will the trucks be 300 miles apart?
\n" ); document.write( "

\r\n" );
document.write( "There are two ways to do this problem,\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "1. Using rate of separation rate and the formula time = distance÷time\r\n" );
document.write( "2. By using chart and algebra\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Let's look at both ways.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "1.  Their rate of separation is 40+50 = 90 mph, so time = distance÷time\r\n" );
document.write( "= 900÷30 = 3 hours.  That's the easy way but your teacher may\r\n" );
document.write( "not accept it since it doesn't use an equation, but just basic math.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "2.  Make this chart:\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "                  distance     rate    time\r\n" );
document.write( "Eastbound truck   \r\n" );
document.write( "Westbound truck     \r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Both trucks travel the same length of time, so\r\n" );
document.write( "let that time be t.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Fill that in for the times for both trucks:\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "                  distance     rate    time\r\n" );
document.write( "Eastbound truck                          t\r\n" );
document.write( "Westbound truck                          t\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Fill in the two speeds\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "                  distance     rate    time\r\n" );
document.write( "Eastbound truck                 40       t\r\n" );
document.write( "Westbound truck                 50       t\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Us distance = rate×time to fill in the distances\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "                  distance     rate    time\r\n" );
document.write( "Eastbound truck     40t         40       t\r\n" );
document.write( "Westbound truck     50t         50       t\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "The total of their distances is to be 300 miles, so we form the\r\n" );
document.write( "equation this way:\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Eastbound truck's distance + Westbound truck's distance = 300\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "                     40t + 50t = 300\r\n" );
document.write( "                           90t = 300\r\n" );
document.write( "                             t = \r\n" );
document.write( "                             t =  hours.\r\n" );
document.write( "\r\n" );
document.write( "Edwin

\n" ); document.write( "

\n" );