Math Problem Statement
A man leaves his home and walks at a speed of 12 km per hour, reaching the railway station 10 minutes after the train had departed. If instead he had walked at a speed of 15 km per hour, he would have reached the station 10 minutes before the train's departure. The distance (in km) from his home to the railway station is
Solution
Let the distance between the man's home and the railway station be km.
Step 1: Set up equations based on the two scenarios.
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First Scenario:
- The man walks at km/hr and reaches the station minutes (or hours) after the train has departed.
- Time taken by the man at km/hr to reach the station: .
- Since he is hours late, we can write: where is the time of the train's departure from his home.
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Second Scenario:
- The man walks at km/hr and reaches the station minutes (or hours) before the train departs.
- Time taken by the man at km/hr to reach the station: .
- Since he is hours early, we can write:
Step 2: Solve the equations.
We have two equations:
Subtract the second equation from the first:
Conclusion
The distance from his home to the railway station is 20 km.
Would you like further details on any part of this solution?
Here are five related questions for further exploration:
- What if the man’s walking speeds were both slower—how would that affect the distance?
- How would the problem change if he was late by 15 minutes instead of 10 in both scenarios?
- What if the train's timing had been delayed—how would we adjust the equations?
- Can we solve the problem graphically by plotting the two scenarios?
- How would adding rest stops along the way affect the calculations?
Tip: For problems involving different speeds and times, setting up equations based on known times and distances simplifies the solution process.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Algebra
Time and Distance
Simultaneous Equations
Formulas
Distance = Speed × Time
Time difference equation based on speed changes
Theorems
Equation solving for unknowns in algebra
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 8-10
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