Math Problem Statement

  1. A bus and a car left at the same time from points A and B in opposite directions. After 2 hours of driving, they met each other. What is the speed of the bus if the speed of the car is 20 km/h more than the speed of the bus and the distance between points A and B is 240 km?

Solution

Let the speed of the bus be denoted by xx km/h. The speed of the car is 20 km/h more than the speed of the bus, so the speed of the car is x+20x + 20 km/h.

Both vehicles are traveling towards each other, so the sum of the distances they each cover after 2 hours is equal to the total distance between points A and B, which is 240 km.

The distance traveled by the bus in 2 hours is:

Distance by bus=2×xkm\text{Distance by bus} = 2 \times x \, \text{km}

The distance traveled by the car in 2 hours is:

Distance by car=2×(x+20)km\text{Distance by car} = 2 \times (x + 20) \, \text{km}

Since the total distance is 240 km, we have the equation:

2x+2(x+20)=2402x + 2(x + 20) = 240

Simplifying this:

2x+2x+40=2402x + 2x + 40 = 240 4x+40=2404x + 40 = 240 4x=240404x = 240 - 40 4x=2004x = 200 x=50x = 50

So, the speed of the bus is 5050 km/h.

Final Answer:

The speed of the bus is 50 km/h.


Would you like a detailed explanation of the steps, or do you have other questions? Here are some related questions you could explore:

  1. How do relative speeds work when two objects move towards each other?
  2. What would happen if the bus and car had been traveling for 3 hours instead of 2 hours?
  3. How can we calculate the time taken for two objects to meet when given their speeds and distances?
  4. What if the bus was 30 km/h slower than the car instead of 20 km/h faster?
  5. How do we solve problems involving motion in opposite directions with different speeds?

Tip: Always break down word problems into smaller steps: define variables, write equations based on given information, and solve systematically!

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Algebra
Relative Motion
Speed and Distance Relationships

Formulas

Distance = Speed × Time
Relative Speed (when objects move towards each other) = Sum of individual speeds

Theorems

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Suitable Grade Level

Grades 7-9