SOLUTION: Train A and B are traveling in the same direction on parallel tracks. Train A is traveling 100 miles per hour and train B is traveling at 120 miles per hour. Train A passes the sta

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Question 323235: Train A and B are traveling in the same direction on parallel tracks. Train A is traveling 100 miles per hour and train B is traveling at 120 miles per hour. Train A passes the staion at 7:10 Am. If train B passes the same station at 7:22 Am. At what time will train B catch up with train A?
Found 2 solutions by galactus, Edwin McCravy:
Answer by galactus(183) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Train A is slower, but ahead of train B for the time being. Train B is catching up because it is traveling 20 mph faster.
Train B is 12 minutes behind train A. That is 1/5 hour.
Train B catches Train A when their distances are the same.
120(t-1/5)=100t
Solve for t. That is how long it takes B to catch A after they pass the station.

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20059) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Train A and B are traveling in the same direction on parallel tracks. Train A is traveling 100 miles per hour and train B is traveling at 120 miles per hour. Train A passes the staion at 7:10 Am. If train B passes the same station at 7:22 Am. At what time will train B catch up with train A?

Here's how to do it in your head.  Then we'll do it by algebra.

In your head:

The faster train gains on the slower train by 20mph since 120 is 20mph faster
than 100mph.  In the 12 minutes or 1%2F5hr. between 7:10AM and 7:22AM, the
slower train has gotten 100%2A%281%2F5%29 or 20 miles miles ahead of the faster
train.  Since the faster train gains on the slower train by 20mph, the faster
train will catch the slower train 1 hour after it passes the station, or at
8:22AM.

By algebra:

Let x be the amount of time after passing the station that each train has
traveled since passing station at the moment when the faster train catches the
slower train.  

Make this chart:

                DISTANCE      RATE      TIME SINCE PASSING STATION
Slower train                  
Faster train   

Put in x for the TIME SINCE PASSING STATION for the Faster train
and their rates as 100mph and 120mph respectively:



                DISTANCE      RATE      TIME SINCE PASSING STATION
Slower train                   100                                      
Faster train                   120              x

There is 12 minutes  between 7:10AM and 7:22AM, so the slower train's time
since passing the station is 12%2F60 or 1%2F5hr. more than the faster
train's time since passing the station, so we put x + 1/5 for the slower
train's time since passing the station.


                DISTANCE      RATE      TIME SINCE PASSING STATION
Slower train                   100            x + 1/5                          
Faster train                   120              x   

Next we fill in the Diustance using Distance = Rate x Time:


                DISTANCE      RATE      TIME SINCE PASSING STATION
Slower train  100(x + 1/5)     100            x + 1/5                          
Faster train    120x           120              x


The trains will have traveled for the same distance from the station when the
faster train catches up, so we form the equation by setting the two distances
equal:

           100%28x%2B1%2F5%29%22%22=%22%22120x
            100x%2B20%22%22=%22%22120x
                 20%22%22=%22%2220x 
                  1%22%22=%22%22x

So the answer is 1 hour after the faster train has passed the station, or 8:22.

Edwin