Question 167746
In this case, you add the terms. Why? Let's say that they are 10 miles apart and one travels 4 miles and the other travels 6 miles. If you add those two distances you get 10 miles. If you draw this on a number line, you'll find that the two will meet at the spot x=4. 



So this means that the equation is {{{300t+30t=660}}}




{{{300t+30t=660}}} Start with the given equation.



{{{330t=660}}} Combine like terms on the left side.



{{{t=(660)/(330)}}} Divide both sides by {{{330}}} to isolate {{{t}}}.



{{{t=2}}} Reduce.



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Answer:


So the answer is {{{t=2}}} which means that it takes 2 hours for the trawler and the helicopter to meet.




Now that we have our answer, let's check it


Since the trawler is going 30 km/hr, this means that the trawler covers a distance of {{{30*2=60}}} km. Also, since the helicopter travels 300 km/hr, the helicopter travels {{{300*2=600}}} km. Adding the two distances gives us {{{60+600=660}}} km which is the total distance.




Once again, if this is hard to grasp, draw a number line starting from 0 (the location of the trawler) and go by 30 until you get to 660 (the location of the helicopter). Since the trawler goes 60 km, this means that at location 60 the trawler meets the helicopter. From the viewpoint of the helicopter, the helicopter has to travel 600 km (to go from 660 to 60). These two distances add to 660 since they form parts of the whole number line that is drawn.