Question

A train traveled from Station A to Station B at an average speed of 80 kilometers per hour and then from Station B to Station C at an average speed of 60 kilometers per hour. If the train did not stop at Station B, what was the average speed at which the train traveled from Station A to C?
(1) The distance that the train traveled from Station A to Station B was 4 times the distance that train traveled from Station B to Station C.
(2) The amount of time it took to the train to travel from Station A to Station B is 3 times the amount of time that it took the train to travel from Station B to Station C.

Answer 1

Answer:

1)

75 kmh⁻¹

2)

75 kmh⁻¹

Explanation:

1)

$v_{ab}$ = Speed of train from station A to station B = 80 kmh⁻¹

$d_{ab}$ = distance traveled from station A to station B

$t_{ab}$ = time of travel between station A to station B

we know that

$Time = \frac{distance}{speed}$

$t_{ab} = \frac{d_{ab}}{v_{ab}} = \frac{d_{ab}}{80}$

$d_{bc}$ = distance traveled from station B to station C

$v_{bc}$ = Speed of train from station B to station C = 60 kmh⁻¹

$t_{bc} = \frac{d_{bc}}{v_{bc}} = \frac{d_{bc}}{60}$

Total distance traveled is given as

$d = d_{ab} + d_{bc}$

Total time of travel is given as

$t = t_{ab} + t_{bc}$

Average speed is given as

$v_{avg} = \frac{d}{t} \\v_{avg} = \frac{d_{ab} + d_{bc}}{t_{ab} + t_{bc}}\\v_{avg} = \frac{d_{ab} + d_{bc}}{(\frac{d_{ab}}{80} ) + (\frac{d_{bc}}{60} ) }$

Given that :

$d_{ab} = 4 d_{bc}$

So

$v_{avg} = \frac{4 d_{bc} + d_{bc}}{(\frac{4 d_{bc}}{80} ) + (\frac{d_{bc}}{60} ) }\\v_{avg} = \frac{4 + 1}{(\frac{4 }{80} ) + (\frac{1}{60} ) }\\v_{avg} = 75 kmh^{-1}$

2)

$v_{ab}$ = Speed of train from station A to station B = 80 kmh⁻¹

$t_{ab}$ = time of travel between station A to station B

$d_{ab}$ = distance traveled from station A to station B

we know that

$distance = (speed) (time)$

$d_{ab} = v_{ab} t_{ab}\\d_{ab} = 80 t_{ab}$

$d_{bc}$ = distance traveled from station B to station C

$v_{bc}$ = Speed of train from station B to station C = 60 kmh⁻¹

$t_{bc}$ = time of travel for train from station B to station C

we know that

$distance = (speed) (time)$

$d_{bc} = v_{bc} t_{bc}\\d_{bc} = 60 t_{bc}$

Total distance traveled is given as

$d = d_{ab} + d_{bc}\\d = 80 t_{ab} + 60 t_{bc}$

Total time of travel is given as

$t = t_{ab} + t_{bc}$

Average speed is given as

$v_{avg} = \frac{d}{t} \\v_{avg} = \frac{d_{ab} + d_{bc}}{t_{ab} + t_{bc}}\\v_{avg} = \frac{80 t_{ab} + 60 t_{bc}}{t_{ab} + t_{bc}}$

Given that :

$t_{ab} = 3 t_{bc}$

So

$v_{avg} = \frac{80 t_{ab} + 60 t_{bc}}{t_{ab} + t_{bc}}\\v_{avg} = \frac{80 (3) t_{bc} + 60 t_{bc}}{(3) t_{bc} + t_{bc}}\\v_{avg} = \frac{(300) t_{bc}}{(4) t_{bc}}\\v_{avg} = 75 kmh^{-1}$