At 1 pm two trains, traveling toward each other leave from towns that are 312 km apart. One train averages at most 82km/h and the other at most 74km/h. What is the earliest possible time for them to meet?

Question

Please help me solve this. I'm not exactly sure how to set up the equation or inequality.

Answer 1

For these kind of questions you have to ask yourself,
which of my quantities are equal so I can make an equation?
When the meet, will they not have travelled the same time? So the times are equal

let the distance covered by the faster train be x km
then the distance covered by the slower train is 312-x km
time taken by faster train = x/82
time taken by slower train = (312-x)/72

so ..
x/82 = (312-x)/72
crossmultiply and simplify to get
x =166.13 km

so time is 166.13/82 = 2.026 hours

Answer 2

Simplify please...thnks

X/50=(312-X)60

Answer 3

i dont get it