SOLUTION: Greg drove at a constant speed in a rainstorm for 273 miles. He took a​ break, and the rain stopped He then drove 240 miles at a speed that was 9 miles per hour faster th

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Question 1036324:
Greg drove at a constant speed in a rainstorm for 273 miles. He took a​ break, and the rain stopped He then drove 240 miles at a speed that was 9 miles per hour faster than his previous speed. If he drove for 12 ​hours, find the​ car's speed for each part of the trip.

Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let +t+ = time in hrs for 1st part of trip
+12+-+t+ = his time in hrs for 2nd part of trip
Let +s+ = his speed in mi/hr for 1st part of trip
+s+%2B+9+ = his speed in mi/hr for 2nd part of trip
-------------------------------------------
Equation for 1st part:
(1) +273+=+s%2At+
Equation for 2nd part:
(2) +240+=+%28+s+%2B+9+%29%2A%28+12+-+t+%29+
----------------------------
(1) +t+=+273%2Fs+
(2) +240+=+12s+%2B+108+-+s%2At+-+9t+
(2) +240+=+12s+%2B+108+-+t%2A%28+s+%2B+9+%29+
(2) +240+=+12s+%2B+108+-+%28273%2Fs%29%2A%28+s+%2B+9+%29+
(2) +240+=+12s+%2B+108+-+273+-+2457%2Fs+
(2) +240+=+12s+-+165+-+2457%2Fs+
(2) +2457%2Fs++%2B+405+=+12s+
(2) +2457+%2B+405s+=+12s%5E2+
(2) +12s%5E2+-+405s+-+2457+=+0+
(2) +4s%5E2+-+135s+-+819+=+0+
----------------------------
Use quadratic formula
+s+=+%28-b+%2B-+sqrt%28+b%5E2-4%2Aa%2Ac+%29%29%2F%282%2Aa%29+
+a+=+4+
+b+=+-135+
+c+=+-819+
+s+=+%28+-%28-135%29+%2B-+sqrt%28+%28-135%29%5E2-4%2A4%2A%28-819%29+%29%29%2F%282%2A4%29+
+s+=+%28+135+%2B-+sqrt%28+18225+%2B+13104+%29%29+%2F+8+
+s+=+%28+135+%2B-+sqrt%28+31329+%29%29+%2F+8+
+s+=+%28+135+%2B+177+%29+%2F+8+
+s+=+312%2F8+
+s+=+39+
and
+s+%2B+9+=+48+
If I had used the negative square root of +31329+, then
time would be negative, which is not allowed
------------------------
The speed for 1st part is 39 mi/hr
The speed for the 2nd part is 48 mi/hr
---------------------------------
check:
(1) +273+=+s%2At+
(1) +273+=+39%2At+
(1) +t+=+7+ hrs
and
(2) +240+=+%28+s+%2B+9+%29%2A%28+12+-+t+%29+
(2) +240+=+%28+39+%2B+9+%29%2A%28+12+-+t+%29+
(2) +240+=+48%2A%28+12+-+t+%29+
(2) +240+=+576+-+48t+
(2) +48t+=+336+
(2) +t+=+7+ hrs
OK