document.write( "Question 56456: A freight train left a station and traveled at 30 mph. Two hours later, an express train left the same station and traveled in the same direction at 50 mph (on a different track). In how many hours did the express overtake the freight train? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #38300 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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A freight train left a station and traveled at 30 mph. Two hours later, an express train left the same station and traveled in the same direction at 50 mph (on a different track). In how many hours did the express overtake the freight train?
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\n" ); document.write( "Let t = time it took the express to overtake the freight
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\n" ); document.write( "Then (t+2) time the freight was traveling when it was overtaken
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\n" ); document.write( "We know that when the express overtakes the freight, they will have traveled the same distance. Another words; Express dist = Freight dist
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\n" ); document.write( "distance = speed * time:
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\n" ); document.write( "A simple distance equation
\n" ); document.write( " Express dist = freight dist; (as we said before).
\n" ); document.write( " 50t = 30(t+2)
\n" ); document.write( " 50t = 30t + 60
\n" ); document.write( "50t - 30t = 60
\n" ); document.write( "20t = 60
\n" ); document.write( "t = 60/20
\n" ); document.write( "t = 3 hrs for the express to overtake the freight
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\n" ); document.write( "Check our solution using distance:
\n" ); document.write( "50 * 3 = 30 * (3 + 2)
\n" ); document.write( "150 = 150
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\n" ); document.write( "Make sense to you?\r
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