OEOn average rate problems, find the total distance and divide by the total time. Start by selecting a Smart Number for d, such as 200 miles. (This is a common multiple of the two rates in the problem, 40 and 50.) Then, find the time for each trip.

The total time for the two trips is 5 + 4 = 9 hours. The total distance for the two trips is 400 miles.

When the distances are the same, as they are in this problem, the average rate will always be weighted toward the slower rate, since more time is spent at that rate.
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