you are mixing up all kinds of unrelated numbers, and then throwing darts at the calculations.
If x is the slower rate, then 3x is the faster rate. So far so good. Now consider that distance = time * speed, and the total distance covered is 64 miles. Since the time for both riders is 2 hours, we have
2*x + 2*3x = 64
8x = 64
x = 8
So, the speeds are 8 mi/hr and 24 mi/hr. In 2 hours, the riders cover 16+48 = 64 miles.
In some bizarre fashion you came up with the distances at the end, but not the speed of the faster rider, which is what they asked for.
Two cyclists, 64 miles apart, start riding toward each other at the same time. One cycles 3 times as fast as the other. If they meet 2 hours later, what is the speed (in mi/h) of the faster cyclist?
Let "x" be the slower rate
the faster rate is "3x"
x+3=2x
64/2=32
2x=32/2
x=16 and 3x=48
This question was marked wrong on my homework and I'm not sure why. please help me
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