document.write( "Question 896280: Two cars are 200 miles apart and traveling towards each other on the same road. They meet in 2 hours. One car is traveling 4 mph. faster than the other car. What is the speed of each car? (Directions for problem: Write as an equation. Don't solve!) \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #543415 by Theo(13342)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! the distance between them is 200 miles. \n" ); document.write( "the first car travels x miles. \n" ); document.write( "the second car travels 200 - x miles which is the difference between 200 and x. \n" ); document.write( "they meet somewhere in the middle.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "they both travel for 2 hours. \n" ); document.write( "the rate of the first car is y \n" ); document.write( "the rate of the second car is y - 4 because the first car is traveling 4 miles per hour faster than the second car.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "you have:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "first car travels x miles at a rate of y miles per hour. \n" ); document.write( "second car travels 200 - x miles at a rate of y - 4 miles per hour.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "they both travel for 2 hours.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "rate * time = distance.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "for the first car this becomes y * 2 = x \n" ); document.write( "for the second car this becomes (y-4) * 2 = (200-x)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "from the equation for the first car, you get x = y*2 \n" ); document.write( "you can replace x in the equation for the second car by y*2 and then solve for y.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "you get:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(y-4) * 2 = (200 - x) becomes (y-4) * 2 = (200 - y*2)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "that's your equation.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "solve for y and you get your answer.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "you should get the first car is traveling at 52 miles per hour and the second car is traveling at 48 miles per hour.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "you can then solve for the distance and you should get the first car has traveled 104 miles and the second car has traveled 96 miles.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |