SOLUTION: Two cars leave towns 540 kilometers apart at the same time and travel toward each other. One car's rate is 12 kilometers per hour less than the other's. If they meet in 3 hours, wh
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Question 890268: Two cars leave towns 540 kilometers apart at the same time and travel toward each other. One car's rate is 12 kilometers per hour less than the other's. If they meet in 3 hours, what is the rate of the slower car?
Do not do any rounding. Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source):
Hint: If they start 540 km apart and then meet 3 hours later, they traveled, in sum, 540 km in 3 hours, so the sum of their speeds is 540 divided by 3, or 180 km/hr. So if the slow car is going x km/hr, the fast car must be going x + 12 km/hr. x + (x + 12) = 180. Solve for x.
John
My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it