SOLUTION: Wyatt left his house and rode his bike into town at 10 mph. Along the way he got a flat so he had to turn around and walk his bike back to his house traveling 5 mph. If the trip do

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Travel -> SOLUTION: Wyatt left his house and rode his bike into town at 10 mph. Along the way he got a flat so he had to turn around and walk his bike back to his house traveling 5 mph. If the trip do      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


   



Question 1144630: Wyatt left his house and rode his bike into town at 10 mph. Along the way he got a flat so he had to turn around and walk his bike back to his house traveling 5 mph. If the trip down and back took 9 hours, how far did he get before his tire went flat?
Found 3 solutions by Alan3354, josgarithmetic, ikleyn:
Answer by Alan3354(69443) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Wyatt left his house and rode his bike into town at 10 mph. Along the way he got a flat so he had to turn around and walk his bike back to his house traveling 5 mph. If the trip down and back took 9 hours, how far did he get before his tire went flat?
--------------
Avg speed of the round trip = 2*10*5/(10+5) = 20/3 mi/hr
RT distance = (20/3)*9 = 60 miles

Answer by josgarithmetic(39613) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
d, distance until flat
d%2F10, time until flat
d%2F5, time walking back

highlight_green%28d%2F10%2Bd%2F5=9%29
-
10%28d%2F10%2Bd%2F5%29=10%2A9
d%2B2d=90
highlight%28d=30%29

Answer by ikleyn(52754) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

Let the unknown distance under the question be " d " miles.


Then the time biking is the distance " d " divided by the average rate biking

    t%5Bbiking%5D = d%2F10  hours.


The     time walking is the same distance " d " divided by the average rate walking

    t%5Bwalking%5D = d%2F5  hours.


The total time  t%5Bbiking%5D + t%5Bwalking%5D  is 9 hours.

It gives you an equation


    d%2F10 + d%2F5 = 9   hours.


This equation is called "time" equation, since each its term is time.


To solve it, multiply both sides by 10.  You will get

    d + 2d = 90,

    3d     = 90,

      d    = 90%2F3 = 30.


ANSWER.  One way distance is 30 miles.

Solved.

---------------------

Using  "time"  equation is the  STANDARD  method of solving such problems.
From my post,  learn on how to write,  how to use and how to solve a  "time"  equation.

To see many other similar solved problems,  look into the lessons
    - Had a car move faster it would arrive sooner
    - How far do you live from school?
    - Earthquake waves
    - Time equation: HOW TO use, HOW TO write and HOW TO solve it
in this site.