Bunuel
A moving van starts out from a house at 8 a.m., traveling at an average speed of 50 miles per hour. One hour and 30 minutes later a car starts out from the same house traveling in the same direction as the van at an average speed of 70 miles per hour. If both vehicles continue at their respective average speeds without making any stops, at what clock time will the car overtake the van?
(A) 9:30 a.m.
(B) 10:30 a.m.
(C) 10:45 a.m.
(D) 11:45 a.m.
(E) 1:15 p.m.
In this "catch-up" problem, solve for the "gap" distance between vehicles (distance is created by the van traveling alone for 1.5 hours). Find time taken. Add to start time of car.
1) DISTANCE = gap created by the moving van, which starts first.
\(D = r*t\)\(D\) created by van:
\(50 mph*\frac{3}{2}hrs=75\) miles
2) RATE at which the gap closes = relative speed
Same direction of travel. To find rate at which gap closes, subtract speeds
Van = 50 mph, and Car = 70 mph
Relative speed: (70 mph - 50 mph) = 20 mph
3) TIME needed to close the gap? How many hours will it take for the car to catch the van?
\(Time = \frac{D}{r}\)
\(T = \frac{75mi}{20mph}=3\frac{15}{20}=3\frac{45}{60}\) hours
Time taken to close the gap: 3 hours, 45 minutes
4) CLOCK TIME at which car overtakes van?
Use the start time of the second vehicle, the car
CAR leaves at 9:30 a.m. (1\(\frac{1}{2}\) hours after van)
Car catches van at (9:30 a.m. + 3 hrs, 45 mins) = 1:15 p.m.
Answer E