There was a 100 meter race between a hare and a tortoise.

Question

There was a 100 meter race between a hare and a tortoise. The hare can run 20 meters in 5 seconds and the tortoise can run 2 meters in 5 seconds. Thinking she will win, the hare stops for a snack. I the race is tied, how long did the hare stop for?

Answer 1

The tortise takes 250 sec to complete the race:

2m in 5 sec = 100m in 250 sec (solve for x where 2/5 = 100/x)

The hare would normally take 25 seconds to finish because

20m in 5 sec = 100m in 25 sec (solve for x where 20/5=100/x)

If they finish at the same time, and the tortise didn't stop, then they had to finish at 250 sec.  

 

If they finished at the same time, in 250 seconds, then the hare took  25 + snack time = 250 sec 

250-25 = snack time

225 seconds to stop for a snack. 

Answer 2

the hare runs 20 m in 5 seconds so it takes the hare 100/20=5, 5*5=25 seconds to run 100 m

the tortoise runs 2 m in 5 seconds so it takes the tortoise 100/2=50, 50*5=250 seconds to run 100 m

if the race was a tie, the hare had to stop for 250-25=225 seconds

Answer 3

hare: (100m/20m)(5sec) = 25 sec ---> the time it would take the hare to finish race

tortoise: (100m/2m)(5sec) = 250 sec ---> the time it would take the tortoise to finish race

250-25=225seconds ---> the difference in time that the hare stopped in order to finish race tied with the tortoise

 

the hare stopped for 225 seconds

Answer 4

Francesca,

At the running rate of 20 meters per 5 seconds, it would have taken the hare 25 seconds to finish 100 meters.

 

At the running rate of 2 meters per 5 seconds, it took the tortoise 250 seconds or 4 minutes and 10 seconds to finish 100 meters.

 

So, if they both tied at the 100 meter mark that means that the hare stopped running for (250 - 25 seconds), 225 seconds or 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

 

I hope this helps!

 

Neal