Bob Rodriquez, the Albany, NY sales representative for Advanced Drafting Software, Inc., must attend the regional sales meeting in New York City. Unfortunately, his car is in the shop so he must make other travel arrangements to reach his destinationOne option is to take a train that departs at 8:00 A.M. Alternatively, he could ride to the meeting with another sales rep.Bob has an important presentation to deliver at the meeting and needs to arrive as early as possible. He knows that the train travels at 80 miles per hour, but has a 30 – minute layover halfway through the 156-mile trip. He also knows that his friend cannot depart before 8:00 A.M. and will adamantly refuse to drive any faster than 55 miles per hourIf both methods of transportation leave at the same time (8:00 A.M.), will the train or the car allow him to reach the regional sales meeting sooner?

The train plus the layover will take about 2 1/2 hours.

156/80 = 1.95 or 2 hours
2 hours + 1/2 hour = 2 1/2 hours

The car will take almost 3 hours.
156/55 = 2.8

To determine whether Bob will reach the regional sales meeting sooner by taking the train or riding with his friend in the car, we need to calculate the travel times for each option.

Option 1: Taking the Train
The train travels at 80 miles per hour and has a 30-minute layover halfway through the 156-mile trip. To calculate the total travel time, we need to consider the time it takes for both the train ride and the layover.

Travel time for the train ride:
Distance = 156 miles
Speed = 80 miles per hour
Time = Distance / Speed = 156 miles / 80 miles per hour = 1.95 hours

Layover time:
Layover = 30 minutes = 0.5 hours

Total travel time for the train:
Total Time = Train ride time + Layover time = 1.95 hours + 0.5 hours = 2.45 hours

Option 2: Riding with a Friend in the Car
Bob's friend will drive at a speed of 55 miles per hour for the entire trip. To calculate the travel time for this option, we need to consider the distance and speed.

Travel time for the car ride:
Distance = 156 miles
Speed = 55 miles per hour
Time = Distance / Speed = 156 miles / 55 miles per hour = 2.836 hours

Now, let's compare the travel times for both options:

Train Travel Time: 2.45 hours
Car Travel Time: 2.836 hours

Since the train has a shorter travel time of 2.45 hours compared to the car's travel time of 2.836 hours, taking the train will allow Bob to reach the regional sales meeting sooner.