Question

at 8:03 am there are 188 empty seats on the train. at 8:10 am there are 160 empty seats. the number of seats decreases by the same amout each minute. (a)what equation can be used to relate the number of minutes after 8:00 am (M) to the number of empty seats on the train (E)? (b)how many seats will be empty at 8:15? (c)at what time will there be 120 empty seats? (d)at what time will there be no empty seats left ?

Answer 1

Given:
8:03 = 188 empty seats
8:10 = 160 empty seat

188 - 160 = 28 empty seats
8:10 - 8:03 = 0:07 minutes

28 / 7 minutes = 4 empty seats per minute

8:00 - 8:03 = 3 minutes
3 minutes * 4 seats per minute = 12 seats

188 + 12 = 200 empty seats at 8:00

8:15 - 8:10 = 0:05 minutes
5 minutes * 4 seats per minute = 20 empty seats
160 - 20 = 140 empty seats at 8:15

200 - 120 = 80 empty seats
80 empty seats / 4 empty seats per minute = 20 minutes
120 empty seats at 8:20.

8:00 = 200 empty seats
200 / 4 = 50 minutes
8:00 + 0:50 = 8:50 is the time when there are no empty seats left.