SOLUTION: Two cyclist start at the same point and travel in opposite directions. One cyclist travels 6mph faster than the other. If the two cyclist are 120 miles apart after 3 hours, what is

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Question 1189895: Two cyclist start at the same point and travel in opposite directions. One cyclist travels 6mph faster than the other. If the two cyclist are 120 miles apart after 3 hours, what is the rate of each cyclist?
Found 2 solutions by mananth, ankor@dixie-net.com:
Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let the speed of the slower cyclist be a mph
the faster cyclist's apeed will be x+6 mph
They are moving away from each other.
the effective speed will be x+x+6 = (2x+6) mph
Distance after 3 hours = 120 miles
Distance = speed * time.
120 = 3(2x+6)
120=6x+18
102=6x
x=102/6 = 17 mph cyclist I
Cyclist II 23 mph

Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Two cyclist start at the same point and travel in opposite directions.
One cyclist travels 6mph faster than the other.
If the two cyclist are 120 miles apart after 3 hours, what is the rate of each cyclist?
:
let s = speed of the 1st cyclist
the 2nd cyclist goes 6 mph faster than the 1st, therefore:
(s+6) = speed of the 2nd cyclist
:
write a dist equation; dist = time * speed
3s + 3(s+6) = 120
3s + 3s + 18 = 120
6s = 120 - 18
6s = 102
s = 102/6
s = 17 mph, the speed of the 1st cyclist
then
17 + 6 = 23 mph, the speed of the 2nd
:
:
Check this, find the dist each traveled
3(17) = 51 mi
3(23) = 69 mi
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total d:120 mi