Question

At 2:00 p.m. two cars start toward each other from towns 240 miles apart. If the rate of one car is 10 mph faster than the other, how fast does each car go if they meet at 5:00 p.m.? If 3x represents the distance that the slower car traveled, then which expression represents the distance the faster car traveled?

Answer 1

Let’s call the speed of the slower car S, then the speed of the other is S+10mph.
At 5pm they have been travelling for 3 hours. The slower car travels a distance 3S and the faster one 3(S+10).
But the two distances must add up to 240 miles so 3S+3(S+10)=240, 3S+3S+30=240, 6S=210, S=35 mph. The faster car’s speed is 45mph. We can see that 3S is the same distance as 3x, so x=S=35 mph, and the distance the faster car travels is 3×45=135 miles.

Answer 2

Answer: 3x45=135

Step-by-step explanation:Let’s call the speed of the slower car S, then the speed of the other is S+10mph.

At 5pm they have been travelling for 3 hours. The slower car travels a distance 3S and the faster one 3(S+10).

But the two distances must add up to 240 miles so 3S+3(S+10)=240, 3S+3S+30=240, 6S=210, S=35 mph. The faster car’s speed is 45mph. We can see that 3S is the same distance as 3x, so x=S=35 mph, and the distance the faster car travels is 3×45=135 miles