SOLUTION: One train travels east and the other travels west. The speed of the westbound train is 3mph greater than the speed of the eastbound train. After 3.5 hours, they are 535.5 miles apa

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Question 1151252: One train travels east and the other travels west. The speed of the westbound train is 3mph greater than the speed of the eastbound train. After 3.5 hours, they are 535.5 miles apart. Find the rate of each train.
Answer by Alan3354(69443) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Same problem, different numbers.
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Answer 772942 by greenestamps(5875) About Me on 2020-01-15 18:11:04 (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

The combined rate of the two trains is 900/5 = 180mph.
So you need two rates with a sum of 180, with one rate 14mph slower than the other.
From here, you can solve the problem with simple algebra:
x+%2B+%28x-14%29+=+180
2x-14+=+180
2x+=+194
x+=+97
The two rates are x=97 mph and x-14 = 83 mph.
If an algebraic solution is not required, here is a quick way to find the two rates with some simple arithmetic.
The sum of the two rates is 180.
If the two rates were the same, they would be 90 and 90.
To get two rates with the same sum but a difference of 14, add 7 to one rate and subtract 7 from the other.
ANSWER: The two rates are 90+7 = 97mph and 90-7 = 83mph.