SOLUTION: A plane leaves Chicago headed for Los Angeles at 530 mph. One hour later, a second plane leaves Los Angeles headed for Chicago at 670 mph. If the air route from Chicago to Los Ange

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Question 567855: A plane leaves Chicago headed for Los Angeles at 530 mph. One hour later, a second plane leaves Los Angeles headed for Chicago at 670 mph. If the air route from Chicago to Los Angeles is 1800 miles, how long will it take (after the first plane takes off) for the first plane to pass the second plane? (Round your answer to two decimal places.
I tried adding the two rates together 670+530 getting 1200mph is the speed at which they are heading towards each other than i did d=rt
1800=1200t then divided 1800 by 1200 and got 1.5 but i am told that is incorrect......

Answer by mananth(16946) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Chicago to LA plane 530 mph 09:00 AM
LA to Chicago plane 670 mph 10:00 AM 1hour late
Distance between the two 1800 miles
Chicago to LA plane has traveled 530 miles before LA to Chicago plane starts
So distance between them = 1270 when LA to Chicago plane starts
Let time they take to meet be x hours
add up the speeds since they are travelling towards each other

Time taken to meet is same
d=rt
combined speed= 1200 mph

1200 x = 1270
x= 1.06 hours
The first plane has traveled 1 hour extra
so the time taken for them to cross = 2.06 hours