SOLUTION: The speed of a moving walkway is about 4.4 feet per second. Walking on the moving​ walkway, it takes Fred a total of 50 seconds to travel 110 feet with the movement of the walkwa

Algebra ->  Polynomials-and-rational-expressions -> SOLUTION: The speed of a moving walkway is about 4.4 feet per second. Walking on the moving​ walkway, it takes Fred a total of 50 seconds to travel 110 feet with the movement of the walkwa      Log On


   



Question 1144801: The speed of a moving walkway is about 4.4 feet per second. Walking on the moving​ walkway, it takes Fred a total of 50 seconds to travel 110 feet with the movement of the walkway and then back again against the movement of the walkway. What is Fred's normal walking​ speed?
Answer by ikleyn(52915) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
Let x be Fred's normal walking speed, in feet per second (the value under the question.


Then   Fred' speed moving with walkway is  (x+ 4.4) ft/s, 

while  Fred' speed moving with against walkway is  (x- 4.4) ft/s.


The time moving 110 ft with walkway is 110%2F%28x%2B4.4%29 seconds,

while the time moving 110 ft against walkway is 110%2F%28x-4.4%29 seconds.


The total two-ways time moving forward and back is 


    110%2F%28x%2B4.4%29 + 110%2F%28x-4.4%29 = 50  seconds.


It is your time equation.  All its terms are time periods.


To solve it, multiply both sides by  (x-4.4)*(x+4.4) = x%5E2+-+4.4%5E2 = x%5E2+-+19.36.  You will get then


    110*(x + 4.4) + 110*(x - 4.4) = 50*(x^2 - 19.36).

    220x                = 50x^2 - 968

    50x^2 - 220x - 968 = 0

     x%5B1%2C2%5D = %28220+%2B-+sqrt%28220%5E2+-+4%2A50%2A%28-968%29%29%29%2F%282%2A50%29 = %28220+%2B-+492%29%2F100.


Only positive root  x = %28220+%2B+492%29%2F100 is meaningful, which gives you the


ANSWER.  Fred's normal walking speed is about 7.12 ft/s, according to the given data.


CHECK.  110%2F%287.12+%2B+4.4%29 + 110%2F%287.12-4.4%29 = 50 seconds (approximately).


My comment.  My solution and my answer are correct - it was CHECKED.

             But the answer of 7.12 ft/s does not seem to be likelihood,

             which means that the input data in the post are not realistic.