Question

Two trains leave stations 330 miles apart at the same time and travel toward each other. One train travels at 65 miles per hour while the other travels at 85 miles per hour. How long will it take for the two trains to meet?​

Answer 1

Answer:

Both trains will meet at 2.2 hours (2 hours and 12 minutes).

Step-by-step explanation:

Relative Speed

If two moving objects are traveling through the same line and have speeds v1 and v2 respectively, their relative speed is vr = v1-v2.

Both trains travel toward each other, which means their speeds are of opposite signs.

Let's assume the first train has a positive speed of 65 mph, and the second train has a negative speed of -85 mph. Then, the relative speed is vr = 65 + 85 = 150 mph.

To calculate the time they take to meet, we apply the formula:

$\displaystyle t=\frac{x}{vr}$

$\displaystyle t=\frac{330}{150}=2.2\ hours$

Both trains will meet at 2.2 hours (2 hours and 12 minutes).