The Chunnel connects the United Kingdom and France by a railway tunnel under the English Channel. The British started tunneling 2.5 months before the French and averaged 0.63 Kilometer per month. The French averaged 0.47 kilometer per month. When the two sides met, they had tunneled 37.9 Kilometers. How many kilometers of tunnel did each country build? If the French started tunneling on February 28, 1988, approximately when did the two sides meet?

Question

I want to know how you solve the problem..I forgot how to set it up.

Thank You!

Answer 1

let the distance covered by the British be x km
then the distance covered by the French is 37.9-x km

Let the time taken by the French be t months
then the British dug for t+2.3 months

You can form two equations using "Distance = Rate x Time"
1) Distance dug by British: x = (0.63)(t+2/5)
2) Distance dug by French: 37.9-x = 0.47t

from 2) x = 37.9 - 0.47t

now equate them, both are equal to x, and solve for t.
Put that back into either 1) or 2) to get x

good luck, let me know what you got

Answer 2

Let T be the number of months that the English dug the chunnel. The French then dug for T-2.5 months.
The length dug when they met was
0.63 T + 0.47(T-2.5) = 37.9

Now you can solve for T and compute the amount dug by each. Add
(T months) x 30.4(average days/month)
to February 28,1988 to get the date they met.

Answer 3

I seem to be having a rough time getting used to my new keyboard on my new Mac

<then the British dug for t+2.3 months>

should say
then the British dug for t+2.5 months

and <1) Distance dug by British: x = (0.63)(t+2/5) >

should say

1) Distance dug by British: x = (0.63)(t+2.5)