PLEASE HELP!! I dont understand!!

Think about a kayaking race, a round trip airplane flight, a shopper on an escalator, or a swimming competition.

Choose an activity where a rational expression can represent the total or difference of time. For example, what is the time to go round trip on a hot air balloon ride?

Use full sentences to describe the real world situation. Write the addition or subtraction rational expression to represent your situation. Simplify the expression, showing all the work or explaining the steps using complete sentences

Question

PLEASE HELP!! I dont understand!!

Think about a kayaking race, a round trip airplane flight, a shopper on an escalator, or a swimming competition.

Choose an activity where a rational expression can represent the total or difference of time. For example, what is the time to go round trip on a hot air balloon ride? 

Use full sentences to describe the real world situation. Write the addition or subtraction rational expression to represent your situation. Simplify the expression, showing all the work or explaining the steps using complete sentences

amistre64 · Answer

unit rate * time = distance traveled

that might be useful, not sure how to esssay up the results tho

amistre64 · Answer

total time = time to + time return

hotair time = distance/speed of ballon  +  distance/speed of car(walk,boat,helicopter) ride back

anonymous · Answer

well lets say it was a 8 hour roundtrip from virginia to california. what would i do next?

amistre64 · Answer

what is the distance travled from V to C ?

anonymous · Answer

let me see

amistre64 · Answer

lets avoid "round trip" time for now; lets split it up into time to, and time from

anonymous · Answer

2230 miles

amistre64 · Answer

hmm, to make these into expressions; lets say it is some distance greater then 10 :)

distance = 10+x

amistre64 · Answer

how are we gettting from V to C?  plane, car, train, amc gremlin?

anonymous · Answer

plane

amistre64 · Answer

does it take 4 hours to get from V to C in a plane?  just to make this thing as realiztic as possible

anonymous · Answer

ill make sure

anonymous · Answer

2 and a half hours

amistre64 · Answer

$$total_{time}=\frac{x+10}{2230/2.5}+time_{from}$$
$$total_{time}=\frac{x+10}{892}+time_{from}$$

amistre64 · Answer

if the same method of travel coming back is used we just double the it

amistre64 · Answer

$$total_{time}=\frac{2(x+10)}{892}$$5 hours is the total time to go round trip in this case

amistre64 · Answer

im not sure why they want you to apply rational expressions ....

anonymous · Answer

okay so what is he rational expression i use?

anonymous · Answer

the

amistre64 · Answer

lets say x represents a distance between V and C that is 10 miles away from the starting point

anonymous · Answer

okay

amistre64 · Answer

$$total_{time}=\frac{2(x-10)}{892}$$

amistre64 · Answer

a rational expression is a glorified fraction

anonymous · Answer

okay, so then all i have to do is solve that?

amistre64 · Answer

still not sure HOW they want you to write it out tho ....

the total time would be the solution to that yes; but im not sure if that is a correct rendering of the situation :/

anonymous · Answer

well it says i have to add or subtract in the rational expression?

amistre64 · Answer

im not sure if that is read "within" the rational expression; or, if its the addition/subtraction OF rational expressions ....

amistre64 · Answer

if the total time taken to make the circuit is dependant upon different modes of transportation .. that would give us an addition of rationals

anonymous · Answer

im not sure which one they want..

amistre64 · Answer

me either ....

amistre64 · Answer

see if jchavez has any input :)  since they said they are working on the same material

anonymous · Answer

okay, i'll use the 2(x-10)/892 & okay i'll see(: