Two trains are approaching each other, one at 23 mph and the other at 37 mph. How far apart are they one minute before collision?
To determine the distance between the two trains one minute before collision, we need to calculate the total distance covered by both trains during that time.
First, let's convert the speeds of the trains to miles per minute. We know that 1 hour is equal to 60 minutes, so:
Train 1 speed = 23 mph = 23/60 miles per minute ≈ 0.3833 miles per minute.
Train 2 speed = 37 mph = 37/60 miles per minute ≈ 0.6167 miles per minute.
Now, we can calculate the distances each train will cover in one minute.
Distance covered by train 1 = Train 1 speed × Time = 0.3833 miles/minute × 1 minute = 0.3833 miles
Distance covered by train 2 = Train 2 speed × Time = 0.6167 miles/minute × 1 minute = 0.6167 miles
Since the trains are moving towards each other, to find the total distance between them, we add up the distances they cover:
Total distance between the trains = Distance covered by train 1 + Distance covered by train 2
Total distance = 0.3833 miles + 0.6167 miles = 1 mile.
Therefore, one minute before the collision, the two trains are approximately 1 mile apart.