document.write( "Question 1197148: A tugboat traveling east at 40 mph is 20 mi from a harbor when another ship leaves the harbor traveling east at 50 mph. How long does it take the second tugboat to catch up to the first ship? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #830274 by math_tutor2020(3817)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "x = number of hours
\n" ); document.write( "y = distance from the harbor\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Tugboat A is already 20 miles east of the harbor.
\n" ); document.write( "It travels 40 mph to the east
\n" ); document.write( "The equation for tugboat A is y = 40x+20\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The equation for tugboat B is y = 50x since it travels east at a speed of 50 mph.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Set the right hand sides equal to one another to determine when the two boats meet up.
\n" ); document.write( "50x = 40x+20
\n" ); document.write( "50x-40x = 20
\n" ); document.write( "10x = 20
\n" ); document.write( "x = 20/10
\n" ); document.write( "x = 2\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answer: 2 hours
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