SOLUTION: Sandy left Burbank driving 79 miles per hour. Mary, in order to catch up, drove 88 miles per hour. Mary caught up in 8 hours. How long was Sandy driving before Mary caught up? T

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Travel -> SOLUTION: Sandy left Burbank driving 79 miles per hour. Mary, in order to catch up, drove 88 miles per hour. Mary caught up in 8 hours. How long was Sandy driving before Mary caught up? T      Log On

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Question 974726: Sandy left Burbank driving 79 miles per hour. Mary, in order to catch up, drove 88 miles per hour. Mary caught up in 8 hours. How long was Sandy driving before Mary caught up?
Thank you for your help!
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, MathTherapy:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39620) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Sandy left first and Mary left later; but traveled less time than Sandy. Think about that
a while,... and then assign t as the travel time for Sandy BEFORE Mary began her travel.

Each Sandy and Mary travel the same distance, d, upon catch-up.

______________________speed____________time__________distance
Sandy_________________79_______________t+8____________d
Mary__________________88________________8_____________d


system%2879%28t%2B8%29=d%2C88%2A8=d%29

d=704
-
79t%2B78%2A8=704
79t=704-78%2A8
79t=80
t=80%2F79 which IS close-enough to 1 hour. Slightly longer.
-
1 HOUR 46 SECONDS

Answer by MathTherapy(10555) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Sandy left Burbank driving 79 miles per hour. Mary, in order to catch up, drove 88 miles per hour. Mary caught up in 8 hours. How long was Sandy driving before Mary caught up?
Sandy had been driving for highlight_green%288.911392%29 hours by the time Mary caught her.