SOLUTION: An airplane flies from New Orleans to Atlanta at a rate of 320 miles per hour. The airplane then returns at an average rate of 280 miles per hour. The total travel time is 3 hour

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Question 352467: An airplane flies from New Orleans to Atlanta at a rate of 320 miles per hour. The airplane then returns at an average rate of 280 miles per hour. The total travel time is 3 hours. write and solve an equation to find the flying time from New Orleans to Atlanta
Found 2 solutions by mananth, FrankM:
Answer by mananth(16946) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
let x be the distance from New Orleans to Atlanta
...
speed forward = 320 mph
speed return = 280 mph
...
time forward +time return = 3 hours
x/320 + x/280 = 3
280x+320x / 280*320=3
600x = 3*280*320
x= 3*280*320/600
distance = 448 miles.
speed forward = 320 mph
time = 448/320
= 1.4 hours
OR 1 hour 24 minutes
....
m.ananth@hotmail.ca

Answer by FrankM(1040) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Flying X miles at 320M/H should be shown as
%28X+miles%29%281+hour%2F320miles%29 as the above will give time as a result, i.e %28X%2F320%29+hours
Since the distance is the same, the return trip was
%28X+miles%29%281+hour%2F280miles%29 as the above will give time as a result, i.e %28X%2F280%29+hours
and
%28%28X%2F320%29+hours%29%2B%28%28X%2F280%29+hours%29=3
multiply thru by 2240
%28%282240X%2F320%29+hours%29%2B%28%282240X%2F280%29+hours%29=6720

%28%287X%29%29%2B%28%288X%29%29=6720
%2815X%29=6720
X= 448
The distance each way was 448 miles.
%28448+miles%29%281hr%2F320miles%29=1.4hrs
Note, the average speed is not 300. Half the distance was spent at 320, half at 280, but not half the time.