Question

Starting at the same point, Tom and Juanita go biking in opposite directions. If Tom rides at a speed of 27 mph, and Juanita rides at a speed of 30 mph, how far apart will they be in 3 hours?
A.
181 miles
B.
117 miles
C.
57 miles
D.
171 miles

Answer 1

To find out how far apart Tom and Juanita will be after 3 hours, we can calculate the distance each of them travels and then add those distances together.

1. **Calculate Tom's distance:**
\[
\text{Distance}_\text{Tom} = \text{Speed}_\text{Tom} \times \text{Time} = 27 \text{ mph} \times 3 \text{ hours} = 81 \text{ miles}
\]

2. **Calculate Juanita's distance:**
\[
\text{Distance}_\text{Juanita} = \text{Speed}_\text{Juanita} \times \text{Time} = 30 \text{ mph} \times 3 \text{ hours} = 90 \text{ miles}
\]

3. **Total distance apart:**
\[
\text{Total Distance} = \text{Distance}_\text{Tom} + \text{Distance}_\text{Juanita} = 81 \text{ miles} + 90 \text{ miles} = 171 \text{ miles}
\]

Thus, after 3 hours, Tom and Juanita will be **171 miles apart**.

The correct answer is **D. 171 miles**.