SOLUTION: Mike and Adam left a bus terminal at the same time and traveled in opposite directions. Mikes bus was in heavy traffic and had to travel 20 mi/h slower than Adams bus. After 3 hour

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Travel -> SOLUTION: Mike and Adam left a bus terminal at the same time and traveled in opposite directions. Mikes bus was in heavy traffic and had to travel 20 mi/h slower than Adams bus. After 3 hour      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


   



Question 986605: Mike and Adam left a bus terminal at the same time and traveled in opposite directions. Mikes bus was in heavy traffic and had to travel 20 mi/h slower than Adams bus. After 3 hours, their buses were 270 miles apart. How fast was each bus going
Now my question is how do I set up the equation to be able to solve it

Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let +s+ = the speed of Adam's bus
+s+-+20+ = the speed of Mike's bus
------------------------------------
The best way to solve this is to think of one
of the buses standing still and the other one
traveling at the sum of their speeds.
It doesn't matter which one is standing still
---------------------------------------
+270+=+%28+s+%2B+s+-+20+%29%2A3+
+270+=+%28+2s+-+20+%29%2A3+
+270+=+6s+-+60+
+6s+=+330+
+s+=+55+
and
+s+-+20+=+35+
The speed of Adam's bus is 55 mi/hr
The speed of Mike's bus is 35 mi/hr
---------------------------------
check:
+d%5B1%5D+=+55%2A3+
+d%5B1%5D+=+165+ mi
and
+d%5B2%5D+=+35%2A3+
+d%5B2%5D+=+105+ mi
-------------------
+d%5B1%5D+%2B+d%5B2%5D+=+165+%2B+105+
+d%5B1%5D+%2B+d%5B2%5D+=+270+ mi
OK