SOLUTION: A plane leaves an airport traveling at an average speed of 240 kilometers per hour. How long will it take a second plane traveling the same route at an average speed of 600 kilomen

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Question 132953This question is from textbook Applied College Algebra
: A plane leaves an airport traveling at an average speed of 240 kilometers per hour. How long will it take a second plane traveling the same route at an average speed of 600 kilomenters per hour to catch up with the first plane if it leaves 3 hours later? This question is from textbook Applied College Algebra

Answer by ptaylor(2198) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Distance(d) equals Rate(r) times Time(t) or d=rt; r=d/t and t=d/r
Let t=amount of time it takes the second plane to catch the first plane AFTER the second plane leaves.
Now we know that when the second plane leaves, the first plane will have already travelled 240*3 or 720 km.
We also know that when the two planes have travelled the same distance, the second plane will have caught up with the first plane.
Total distance first plane travels=720+240t
Total distance second plane travels=600t
And the above two distances need to be equal, so:
720+240t=600t subtract 240t from each side
720+240t-240t=600t-240t collect like terms
720=360t divide both sides by 360
t=2 hrs-------so 2 hrs after the second plane leaves it will catch the first plane
CK
720+240*2=600*2
720+480=1200
1200=1200

Hope this helps---ptaylor