SOLUTION: after A has traveled 2.5 hrs at the rate of 4.5 miles per hour, B starts to overtake him. if B travels 7 miles per hour, how far will they have traveled when B overtakes A?

Algebra ->  Coordinate Systems and Linear Equations  -> Linear Equations and Systems Word Problems -> SOLUTION: after A has traveled 2.5 hrs at the rate of 4.5 miles per hour, B starts to overtake him. if B travels 7 miles per hour, how far will they have traveled when B overtakes A?      Log On


   

Question 775695: after A has traveled 2.5 hrs at the rate of 4.5 miles per hour, B starts to overtake him. if B travels 7 miles per hour, how far will they have traveled when B overtakes A?
Answer by psbhowmick(878) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Suppose B walks for T hours before overtaking A.
Thus in T hours, the distance travelled by B = 7T miles.

By this time the total distance travelled by A would be = the distance already covered when B started + the distance covered in T hours = 2.5x4.5 + 4.5T

Since at time T B overtakes A so the total distance travelled by them at that point of time should be equal.

7T+=+2.5%2A4.5%2B4.5T
2.5T+=+2.5%2A4.5
T=4.5

So the total distance covered by both A and B at the time T is 7 x 4.5 = 31.5 miles.