Expert: Richard J. Raridon - 10/11/2008

Question
a passenger train and a freight train start at the same time form stationsthat are 405 miles apart and travle toward each. the rate of the passanger train is twise the rate of the freight train. in three hours, the trains pass each other. find the rate of each train?

mr. fild spent6 hours hiking along a trial and back. he walked back at the rate of 2 miles per hour.hw far along the trial did he go?

pleas explain each step so i can understand the problem and how to slove any problem like this.

thanks

Answer
P = 2F and (P+F)3 = 405 so F = 45mph and P = 90mph

If the distance each way is D and his rate going out is r, then
D/r + D/3 = 6
which means you have only one equation and two unknowns, leading to more than one solution.  
D could be 6 and r = 3
D could be 8 and r = 4