Question

A car travels 312 miles in the same time that a motorcycle traveled 272. If the cars speed is 10mph more than the motorcycles, find the speed of the car and the speed of the motorcycle.

Answer 1

Answer: speed of the car is 88 miles per hour

the speed of the motorcycle is 78 miles per hour

Step-by-step explanation:

Number of miles travelled by car = 312

Number of miles travelled by motorcycle = 272

Let x = speed of the car

Let y = speed of the motorcycle

If the car's speed is 10mph more than the motorcycle's, it means

x = y + 10 - - -- - - 1

Time taken for car to travel 312 miles is distance /speed = 312/x

Time taken for motorcycle to travel 272 miles is distance /speed = 272/y

The car travels 312 miles in the same time that a motorcycle traveled 272.

This means

312/x = 272/y

312y = 272x

y = 272x/312

Substituting y = 272x/312 into equation 1, it becomes

x = 272x/312 + 10

312x = 272x + 3120

312x-272x = 3120

40x = 3120

x = 3120/40 = 78 miles per hour

x = y + 10 = y + 78

x = 88 miles per hour