SOLUTION: I'm very confused on how to work this D=RT problem. The problem is as follows "A bus leaves Miami for San Francisco traveling at a rate of 40 mph. Three hours later a car leaves Mi
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-> SOLUTION: I'm very confused on how to work this D=RT problem. The problem is as follows "A bus leaves Miami for San Francisco traveling at a rate of 40 mph. Three hours later a car leaves Mi
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Question 125952: I'm very confused on how to work this D=RT problem. The problem is as follows "A bus leaves Miami for San Francisco traveling at a rate of 40 mph. Three hours later a car leaves Miami for San Francisco traveling at 55 mph. How far from Miama does the car overtake the bus?
My formula: 40x+55(x-3)=x
40x+55x-165=x
95x-165=x
I know this cannot be right, please help.. Answer by josmiceli(19441) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! This type of problem is not easy. I've struggled with some.
My approach is to divide the distances that the 40 mi/hr bus
covers into 2 parts. First, how far does that bus go in 3 hrs?
I call where it is after 3 hrs the starting point. Now
the 55 mi/hr car starts and I put a stopwatch on them both = distance 55 mi/hr car covers from start to the meeting point = time for the 55 mi/hr car to cover the distance
In 3 hrs the 40 mi/hr bus covers mi
here are the equations
----------------------
Set in the 1st equation = in the 2nd equation hrs
So, the 55 mi/hr car has travelled for 8 hrs when they meet mi answer
I hope you can follow it and I didn't get my logic twisted
somewhere
