SOLUTION: Two trains are 330 miles apart, and their speeds differ by 20 mph. They travel toward each other and meet in 3 hrs. Find the speed of each train. I'm having trouble putting thi

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Question 462379: Two trains are 330 miles apart, and their speeds differ by 20 mph. They travel toward each other and meet in 3 hrs. Find the speed of each train.
I'm having trouble putting this problem into an equation.
It's different from the other travel/distance questions i've had.
I understand if i'm given the mph for each train but i don't know how to find it in this problem.

Found 3 solutions by stanbon, amoresroy, MathLover1:
Answer by stanbon(75887) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Two trains are 330 miles apart, and their speeds differ by 20 mph. They travel toward each other and meet in 3 hrs. Find the speed of each train.
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Let the speed of one train be "x" mph.
Then the speed of the 2nd train is "x+20"
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And the combined speed of the 2 trains is x + x+20 = 2x+20 mph
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Equation:
distance = rate *time
330 = (2x+20)*3
110 = 2x+20
2x = 90
x = 45 mph (speed of one train)
x+20 = 65 mph (speed of the other train)
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Cheers,
Stan H.
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Answer by amoresroy(361) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Two trains are 330 miles apart, and their speeds differ by 20 mph. They travel toward each other and meet in 3 hrs. Find the speed of each train.
I'm having trouble putting this problem into an equation.
It's different from the other travel/distance questions i've had.
I understand if i'm given the mph for each train but i don't know how to find it in this problem.
Let x = the speed of the slower train in mph
x+20 = the speed of the faster train in mph
speed times time = distance
(x + x+20)*3 = 330
2x + 20 = 110
2x = 90
x = 45
x+20 = 65

The speed of each train is 45mph and 65 mph.

Answer by MathLover1(20855) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

given data: 1st+train+
distance: x-miles+ miles ; time t=+3+h ; rate r1=+x%2F3h
2nd+train :
distance: %28330-x%29+miles ; time t=+3+h ; rate r2=+%28330-x%29%2F3h
rate1 - rate2
r1-r2=+20
x%2F3h-%28330-x%29%2F3h+=+20
%28x%2F3%29+-+%28110-%28x%2F3%29%29+=+20
%282%2F3%29x+=+20+%2B+110
%282%2F3%29x+=+130
x+=+%283%2F2%29130
x+=+195+mil...... distance traveled by 1st train
speed of first train is v1+=+195%2F3+=+65+mph
speedof second train is v2+=+%28330-195%29%2F3+=+45+mph