Word Problem

Question

in order to access the outer part of terminal at an airport, you must walk quite some distance in a tunnel that travels under part of the airport. To make the walk less difficult there is a moving walkway that travels at 2 feet per second. Suppose that hana can travel 186 feet while walking on the pathway in the same amount of time it takes her to travel 126 feet while walking on the pavement without the aid of the moving sidewalk. How fast does hana walk?

Answer 1

Distance = Rate times Time, or D = R*T

 

Let T = Time walking (same in both cases)

Let X = how fast hana can walk

Then X + 2 = how fast hana walks on the moving walkway 

 

On regular pavement she travels 126 feet  ==>  126 = X*T  

On moving walkway she travels 186 feet  ==>  186 = (X+2)*T = X*T + 2*T 

 

Subtract the 1st equation from the 2nd one 

 

60 = 2*T

T = 30 

 

So X = 126/30 = 4.2 feet per second is how fast hana walks 

 

Check:  X*T = (4.2 ft/s)*(30 s) = 126 feet on pavement

           (X+2)*T = (6.2 ft/s)*(30 s) = 186 feet on moving walkway