document.write( "Question 1125317: Two airplanes left the same airport and arrived at the same destination at the same time. The first airplane left at 8:00 a.m. and traveled at an average rate of 496 miles per hour. The second airplane left at 8:30 a.m. and traveled at an average rate of 558 miles per hour. Let x represent the number of hours that the first plane traveled.\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #741615 by ikleyn(52790) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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document.write( "Let  t = \"How many hours did it take the first plane to travel to the destination\".\r\n" );
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document.write( "Then (t-0.5) is the time in hours for the second plane (it started 30 minutes = 0.5 of an hour later).\r\n" );
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document.write( "The equation is\r\n" );
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document.write( "    496*t = 558*(t-0.5),\r\n" );
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document.write( "saying that the distance is the sane.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Simplify and solve\r\n" );
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document.write( "    496t = 558t - 558*0.5\r\n" );
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document.write( "    558*0.5 = 558t - 496t = (558 - 496)*t = 62t  ====>  t =  = 4.5.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Answer.  4.5 hours.\r\n" );
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