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# Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel

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General GMAT Forum Moderator
Joined: 15 Jan 2018
Posts: 640
Concentration: General Management, Finance
GMAT 1: 720 Q50 V37
Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel  [#permalink]

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11 Jul 2019, 20:35
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Difficulty:

55% (hard)

Question Stats:

66% (02:47) correct 34% (02:19) wrong based on 82 sessions

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Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel tracks pass each other at x hours. If the same two trains were to travel in the same direction, starting 100 miles apart, they would meet each other at y hours. What is the ratio of the speed of the faster train to that of the slower train?

A. $$\frac{y}{x}$$
B. $$\frac{2y}{x+y}$$
C. $$\frac{y + x}{y -x}$$
D. $$\frac{y}{y-x}$$
E. $$\frac{y+x}{x}$$

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Joined: 16 Oct 2010
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Re: Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel  [#permalink]

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12 Jul 2019, 04:57
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DisciplinedPrep wrote:
Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel tracks pass each other at x hours. If the same two trains were to travel in the same direction, starting 100 miles apart, they would meet each other at y hours. What is the ratio of the speed of the faster train to that of the slower train?

A. $$\frac{y}{x}$$
B. $$\frac{2y}{x+y}$$
C. $$\frac{y + x}{y -x}$$
D. $$\frac{y}{y-x}$$
E. $$\frac{y+x}{x}$$

Take smart numbers: Say x = 2 hrs and y = 5 hrs

So when covering the distance together, sum of speeds = 100/2 = 50 mph = s1 + s2

When travelling in same direction, difference of speeds = 100/5 = 20 mph = s1 - s2

Then s1 = 35 and s2 = 15

s1/s2 = 35/15 = 7/3

Only (C) satisfies
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Re: Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel  [#permalink]

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11 Jul 2019, 20:58
9
1
Let's call the faster train A and the slower train B.

In the first scenario, A and B travel a total of 100 miles in X hours. This gives us the following equation:
AX + BX = 100

In the second scenario, B is ahead of A by 100 miles but they eventually meet at some point after Y hours. This gives us the following equation:
AY = 100 + BY

The question asks for the following equation:
A/B = ?

We can arrange the second equation to equal the first:
AY - BY = 100 = AX + BX

Now, we can move the As to one side and the Bs to the other and factor them out on either sides:
AY - AX = BX + BY
A(Y - X) = B(X + Y)

Now simply arrange to get A/B on one side:
A(Y - X)/B = (X + Y)
A/B = (X + Y)/(Y - X)

Therefore the answer is (X + Y)/(Y - X), which is equivalent to (Y + X)/(Y - X)
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Joined: 06 Feb 2019
Posts: 110
Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel  [#permalink]

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12 Jul 2019, 04:18
1
The question may be solved also by the use of real numbers instead of X and Y.

Let A have a speed 66 and B - 33.
So they will cover 100 km in 1 hour.
And A will overtake B in 3 hours (if there will be 100 km between them).

So all we need is to find the appropriate proportion which will give us 66/33=2/1

Only C is ok:
(Y+x)/(y-x) = (3+1)/(3-1) =4/2=2/1

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Joined: 08 May 2019
Posts: 17
Re: Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel  [#permalink]

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06 Oct 2019, 20:00
DisciplinedPrep wrote:
Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel tracks pass each other at x hours. If the same two trains were to travel in the same direction, starting 100 miles apart, they would meet each other at y hours. What is the ratio of the speed of the faster train to that of the slower train?

A. $$\frac{y}{x}$$
B. $$\frac{2y}{x+y}$$
C. $$\frac{y + x}{y -x}$$
D. $$\frac{y}{y-x}$$
E. $$\frac{y+x}{x}$$

By using concept of relative velocity this question can be solved in real quick time.

Case 1: Trains travelling in opposite direction.
Let speed of trains are S1 and S2.
Hence given time to cross each other =x=100/(S1+S2)

Case 2 : Trains travelling in same direction.

Here time for one train to cross the other=y=100/(S1-S2)

Solving above equation we get
S1/S2=y+x/y-x
Re: Two trains, 100 miles apart, travelling towards each other on parallel   [#permalink] 06 Oct 2019, 20:00
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