SOLUTION: Two cars that are traveling toward each other are 455 miles apart. One car is traveling 10 miles per hour faster than the other car. The cars pass after 3.5 hours. How fast is each

Let "r" be the speed of the faster car, in mph.

Then the speed of the slower car is (r-10) mph.

The faster car covered the distance 3.5*r miles; 

the slower car covered 3.5*(r-10) miles.

The sum of these distances is exactly 455 miles.

It gives you an equation

3.5*r + 3.5*(r-10) = 455.  --->

3.5r + 3.5r - 35 = 455  --->  7r = 455 + 35  --->  7r = 490  --->  r =  = 70.

So, we found the speed of the faster car. It is 70 mph.

Then the speed of the slower car is 70 mph - 10 mph = 60 mph.


Answer. Faster car has the speed of 70 mph.  Slower car has the speed of 60 mph.