Chemerical71 wrote:
Two trains running in opposite directions cross a man standing on the platform in 27 seconds and 17 seconds respectively and they cross each other in 23 seconds. The ratio of their speeds is:
A. 3:1
B. 1:3
C.3:2
D.2:3
E.5:3
1st) Starting Position for the 2 trains to pass each other in opposite directions:
The two trains start nose-to-nose going in opposite directions.
Assume the man is standing right at this nose-to-nose staring point.
(*the star is the man.)
[———— A————] * [———B——-]
We do not know the length of each train, so we will find a constant distance that each has to travel. Over that constant distance, we can find the time taken by each.
2nd) after it takes 17 seconds pass for train B to cover the length of itself and pass the man:
After 17 seconds pass, train B is able to pass the man — i.e., in those 17 seconds, B covers the length of itself = the length of train B.
train A has not covered the length of itself yet. Assume there is D-length remaining to be covered.
Train A still has another 10 seconds to cover this D-length of itself and pass the man (because it takes A a total of 27 seconds).
Speed of train A = D / 10 (length / second)
Concept: when two trains are moving in opposite directions, the Gap distance they have to cover in order to pass each other is done at the Combined Speed of = (Speed of A) + (Speed of B)
We assumed the man was right at the “nose-to-nose start.”
By itself, it would take train A another 10 second to finish covering the remaining length of itself and pass the man.
However, with B’s help, A is able to cover the length of itself and pass the man (and train B) in just 6 more seconds.
This is because it takes 23 seconds in total for the two trains to pass, just 6 seconds after the first 17 seconds during which B covered the length of itself.
So, train B HELPS train A cover this same gap distance in 6 seconds as opposed to 10 seconds
So we can say the combined speed/relative speed of the two trains is:
(Speed of A) + (Speed of B) = D / 6 (length / second)
We can use these two equations to find the relative speeds:
(Sa) = D/10
(Sa) + (Sb) = D/6
(Sb) = (D/6) — (D/10) = (2D / 30) = D/15
Ratio of: (Speed of A) : (Speed of B) = (D/10) : (D/15)
Speed of A : Speed of B = 3 : 2
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