document.write( "Question 814064: Please help me solve this word problem. I can solve it just cant set up an equation. The word problem is: Dave leaves city A traveling toward city B at 18 miles per hour. At the same time, Tina leaves cit B traveling toward city A at 14 miles per hour.The distance between the two cities is 112 miles. How long will it take before Dave and Tina meet? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #490089 by josmiceli(19441) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
They are heading towards each other.
\n" ); document.write( "For me, the easiest way to set it up is
\n" ); document.write( "to think of one of them as standing
\n" ); document.write( "still ( either one ) and the other
\n" ); document.write( "approaching at the sum of their speeds.
\n" ); document.write( "So one of them covers the whole 112 miles
\n" ); document.write( "instead of both of them.
\n" ); document.write( "--------------------
\n" ); document.write( "I'll say Tina is standing still, and Dave goes
\n" ); document.write( "from A to B
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+112+=+%28+18+%2B+14+%29%2At+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+112+=+32t+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+t+=+3.5+\"$ hrs
\n" ); document.write( "--------------
\n" ); document.write( "You can convince yourself that this works
\n" ); document.write( "by using separate equations:\"
\n" ); document.write( "Dave's equation:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+d%5B1%5D+=+18t+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+d%5B1%5D+=+18%2A3.5+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+d%5B1%5D+=+63+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "and
\n" ); document.write( "Tina's equation:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+d%5B2%5D+=+14%2A3.5+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+d%5B2%5D+=+49+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "------------
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+d%5B1%5D+%2B+d%5B2%5D+=+63+%2B+49+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+d%5B1%5D+%2B+d%5B2%5D+=+112+\"$ mi
\n" ); document.write( "as it should
\n" ); document.write( "Sorry if I got carried away with this \n" ); document.write( "

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