SOLUTION: Two cars leave Chicago, one traveling east and the other west. After 4 hours they are 492 miles apart. If one car is traveling 7 mph faster than the other, find the speed of each.

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Travel -> SOLUTION: Two cars leave Chicago, one traveling east and the other west. After 4 hours they are 492 miles apart. If one car is traveling 7 mph faster than the other, find the speed of each.      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


    

Question 560032: Two cars leave Chicago, one traveling east and the other west. After 4 hours they are 492 miles apart. If one car is traveling 7 mph faster than the other, find the speed of each.
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You can think of one car as standing still
and the other traveling at the sum of their
speeds.
Let the speed of the slower car = +s+
The faster car's speed is +s+%2B+7+
-----------------
The equation of the moving car is
+492+=+%28+s+%2B+s+%2B+7+%29%2A4+
+492+=+8s+%2B+28+
+8s+=+492+-+28+
+8s+=+464+
+s+=+58+
+s+%2B+7+=+65+
Their speeds are 58 mi/hr and 65 mi/hr