Math Word Problems Demystified - A Self Teaching Guide

25 t¼ 44

251 t

251

¼

44

25

t¼ 1 :76 hours

The distance, then, isD¼RTorD¼ 3 1.76¼5.28 miles.

EVALUATION: You can check the answer by determining if the distance
the person rode is the same distance he walked.

D¼RT

D¼ 22 ð 2 
 1 : 76 Þ

¼ 22 ð 0 : 24 Þ

¼ 5 :28 miles

In the previous problem, the same person made a round trip. In the next
problem, we have two vehicles going in the same direction.

EXAMPLE:A freight train leaves Pittsburgh traveling east at 15 miles per
hour. Four hours later, an AMTRAK train leaves Pittsburgh traveling east
at 35 miles per hour. How many miles from Pittsburgh will the AMTRAK
overtake the freight train?

SOLUTION:

GOAL: You are being asked the distance from Pittsburgh two trains travel
before meeting.

STRATEGY: In this case, both trains are traveling in the same direction, and
they travel the same distance. See Figure 13-2. Place 35 miles per hour in the
top box under Rate and 15 miles per hour in the bottom box under Rate. Then

Fig. 13-2.

LESSON 13 Solving Distance Problems 133