Question

Setting up this word problem. Please help.

Answer 1

Snowplow start at 6am at constant speed.
Auto starts at 8am, traveling 40 mph, reaches plow after 30 minutes.
What is the speed of plow?

So, each one's distance = r*t, where t is time in minutes since they started.

So use that to set up an expression for the plow's distance as a function of the unknown rate r, and known time (for the PLOW, and use minutes).

Now set up an expression for the car's distance, using the car's known rate, and known time.

Set them equal, and solve for the plow's rate r. When the car reaches the plow, their distances traveled are equal.

Answer 2

(You could do it in hours instead of in minutes - up to you, really. Just be consistent, either all in hours or all in minutes.)

Answer 3

ok so how would you input the time?

Answer 4

What do you mean, "input the time"? You just use the time in each expression.

Time the plow drove is 2.5 hours. time the car drove is .5 hours.

Or in minutes, 150 minutes and 30 minutes.

rate x time = distance. So set the distances equal.

Answer 5

I get 30 minutes for the car, I am lost how we get 2.5 hours for the plow.

Answer 6

Did you read the problem?

Answer 7

The snowplow set out at 6:00am.

The car caught up with it, after leaving at 8:00am and traveling for 30 minutes.

Hence, they met up at 8:30am.

6am to 8:30am is 2.5 hours.

Answer 8

Yes says it left at 6 am and the other car left at 8am so there is a two hour difference.

Oh ok I was not thinking the extra 30 minutes the car traveled to meet the plow. That is what was throwing me off.

Answer 9

so the two formulas would be ?

Plow x=r(2.5)
car x=40(0.5)

Answer 10

yes. those are each of their distances traveled.

Answer 11

so the answer to the car distance would be 20, where would you go from there?

Answer 12

I told you above.

How far did the snow plow travel?

Answer 13

16? I got this by putting the formula like 20=2.5r and divided by 2.5 to get 16

Answer 14

I'm not sure what you did, but you didn't divide 20 by 2.5 if you got 16.

Answer 15

8 sorry i divided by .5

Answer 16

I mean, you can see that 20\(\neq\)2.5(16)

Answer 17

yes, 8.

Answer 18

Thank you now the distance formula makes a little more sense. I think I was just getting thrown off by times, and where to put the formula when set up.