Homework Help: Math Word Problem

Posted by amy on Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 12:42am.

A metra commuter train leaves Union Station in Chicago at 12 noon. Twp hours later an Amtrak train leaves on the same track, traveling at an average speed that is 50 miles per hour faster than the Metra train. At 3PM the Amtrak train is 10 miles behind the commuter train. How fast is each going?

I don't understand how to solve this.

I only know how to solve it if the problem has the velocity for both.

Please could someone write the equation

Math Word Problem - Dr Russ, Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 4:25am
let A = speed of Amtrak train
let M=speed of Metro train

so we can write A=M+50

as A is travelling 50 mph faster than M

as there are two unknowns we need another equation

at 3pm distance travelled by A is Ax1 or 1A miles

at 3pm distance travelled by M is Mx3 miles

but A is 10 miles behind M so

3M-10=1A

we now have two equations so we can solve these for A and M.
Math Word Problem - A, Thursday, September 16, 2010 at 5:05am
I solved it got the right answer but what about the 2hours part?

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