Math Problem Statement

Car A left Melbourne for Adelaide at 11:00 a.m. and travelled at an average speed of 70 km/h. Car B left Melbourne for Adelaide at 1:00 p.m. on the same day and travelled at an average speed of 90 km/h. At what time will Car B catch Car A?

Solution

We can solve this problem by determining when Car B will catch up to Car A. Let's break it down step by step:

Step 1: Calculate the head start of Car A

Car A leaves at 11:00 a.m., and Car B leaves at 1:00 p.m. Therefore, Car A has a head start of 2 hours before Car B starts.

During these 2 hours, Car A is traveling at an average speed of 70 km/h, so the distance Car A travels in those 2 hours is: Distance=Speed×Time=70km/h×2hours=140km.\text{Distance} = \text{Speed} \times \text{Time} = 70 \, \text{km/h} \times 2 \, \text{hours} = 140 \, \text{km}.

Step 2: Determine the relative speed

Car B is traveling faster than Car A. The relative speed at which Car B is closing the gap on Car A is: Relative Speed=Speed of Car BSpeed of Car A=90km/h70km/h=20km/h.\text{Relative Speed} = \text{Speed of Car B} - \text{Speed of Car A} = 90 \, \text{km/h} - 70 \, \text{km/h} = 20 \, \text{km/h}.

Step 3: Calculate the time taken for Car B to catch up

To catch Car A, Car B needs to close the 140 km gap. The time it takes to do so is given by: Time=DistanceRelative Speed=140km20km/h=7hours.\text{Time} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Relative Speed}} = \frac{140 \, \text{km}}{20 \, \text{km/h}} = 7 \, \text{hours}.

Step 4: Determine the time when Car B catches up

Since Car B left at 1:00 p.m., we add the 7 hours to this time: 1:00p.m.+7hours=8:00p.m..1:00 \, \text{p.m.} + 7 \, \text{hours} = 8:00 \, \text{p.m.}.

Conclusion:

Car B will catch Car A at 8:00 p.m..

Would you like more details or have any questions about the solution?

Here are 5 related questions for further exploration:

  1. How far will Car A and Car B have traveled when Car B catches up?
  2. If Car B had started at 12:00 p.m. instead, when would it catch Car A?
  3. What is the total distance from Melbourne to Adelaide if Car B reaches Adelaide by 10:00 p.m.?
  4. How much time would it take for Car A to reach Adelaide at a constant speed of 70 km/h?
  5. If Car A increased its speed to 80 km/h, how would the catch-up time change?

Tip: When solving catch-up problems, always identify the head start and calculate the relative speed to find the time needed for one object to catch the other.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Relative Speed
Distance-Time Relationship
Algebra

Formulas

Distance = Speed × Time
Relative Speed = Speed of Car B - Speed of Car A
Time = Distance / Relative Speed

Theorems

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Suitable Grade Level

Grades 6-8