Two cars leave at the same time from towns that are 460 miles apart and travel toward each other. They meet after 4 hours. Find the rate of each car if one car travels 13 miles per hour faster than the other.

Answer 1

x + x + 13 =460/4

2x + 13 = 115

2x + 13 -13 = 115. -13

2x = 102

2x/2 = 102/2

x = 51

x + 13
= 64

Answer 2

define your variables:

let the rate of the the slower car be x mph
then the rate of the faster car is x+13 mph

They both drive for 4 hours

distance covered by slower car = 4x
distance covered by faster car = 4(x+13)

4x + 4(x+13) = 460
8x 408
x = 51

slower car went 51 mph
faster car went 64 mph