SOLUTION: Harry takes 2 hours less to travel 50km than Cara takes to travel 35km. Cara travels at a speed that is 5km/hr slower that that of Harry. Find the time taken by Harry and Cara to c

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Travel -> SOLUTION: Harry takes 2 hours less to travel 50km than Cara takes to travel 35km. Cara travels at a speed that is 5km/hr slower that that of Harry. Find the time taken by Harry and Cara to c      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


   



Question 557429: Harry takes 2 hours less to travel 50km than Cara takes to travel 35km. Cara travels at a speed that is 5km/hr slower that that of Harry. Find the time taken by Harry and Cara to complete their respective journeys and the speed at which they travelled.
Answer by rajagopalan(174) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let clara's speed=x
clara's time=35/x.........B
Harrys' speed=x+5
Harrys' time=50/(x+5)....A
given ...B-A=2
(35/x)-(50/(x+5)=2
taking LCM as x(x+5)
we get numerator ...35(x+5)-50x
we get denominator LCM x(x+5)
[35(x+5)-50x)]/[x(x+5)]=2
35x+175-50x=2x^2+10x
175=2x^2+25x
rewriting
2x^2+25x-175=0
find 2 numbers whose product is -350 ie(175*2) and their sum is 25
the numbers are -35 and 10 by factoring 350
2x^2+25x-175=0
2x^2+35x-10x-175=0
x(2x+35)-5(2x+35)=0
(x-5)(2x+35)=0
we get x=5 or -35/2
ignoring the negative value as speed can not be negative
we get x=5
verify
clara's time=35/x.........B=35/5=7 hrs
Harrys' time=50/(x+5)....A=50/10=5 hrs
B - A =7-5=2
ok