Places A and B are 80 km apart from each other on a highway. A car starts from A and other from B at the same time. If they move in the same direction, they meet in 8 hours and if they move in opposite directions, they meet in 1 hour and 20 minutes. Find the speeds of the cars.


Given:

Places A and B are 80 km apart from each other on a highway. A car starts from A and other from B at the same time. If they move in the same direction, they meet in 8 hours and if they move in opposite directions, they meet in 1 hour and 20 minutes.

To do:

We have to find the speed of the two cars.

Solution:

We know that,

Distance$=$ Speed $\times$ Time.

Distance between the two places A and B $= 80\ km$.

Let the speed of the first car starting from A be $x\ km/hr$ and the speed of the second car starting from B be $y\ km/hr$.


Let the cars meet at point P when they are moving in the same direction and at point Q when they are moving in the opposite direction.

When they travel in the same direction, they meet in 8 hours.

Distance travelled by the first car in 8 hours $AP= 8\times x\ km=8x\ km$.

Distance travelled by the second car in 8 hours $BP= 8\times y\ km=8y\ km$.

$AP-BP=80$

$8x-8y=80$

$8(x-y)=8\times10$

$x-y=10$.....(i)

When they travel in the opposite direction, they meet after 1 hour 20 minutes$=1+\frac{20}{60}=\frac{60+20}{60}=\frac{4}{3}$ hours.

Distance travelled by the first car in 1 hour 20 minutes $AQ= \frac{4}{3}\times x\ km=\frac{4x}{3}\ km$.

Distance travelled by the second car in 1 hour 20 minutes$BQ= \frac{4}{3}\times y\ km=\frac{4y}{3}\ km$.

$AQ+BQ=AB$

$\frac{4x}{3} + \frac{4y}{3} = 80$

$\frac{4x+4y}{3}=80$

$4(x+y)=3(80)$

$x+y=60$….(ii)

Adding equations (i) and (ii), we get,

$x-y+x+y=10+60$

$2x = 70$

$x = \frac{70}{2}$

$x=35$

Substituting $x=35$ in equation (ii), we get,

$35+y=60$

$y = 60-35$

$y = 25$

Therefore, the speed of the first car is $35\ km/hr$ and the speed of the second car is $25\ km/hr$.

Updated on: 10-Oct-2022

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