What is the average speed of both planes?

Question

Two planes leave from Atlanta Georgia. One makes a 4.5 hr flight to Seattle Washington, and the other makes a 2.5 hr flight to Boston Massachusetts. The plane to Boston averages 44 mph slower than the plane to Seattle. If the total distance traveled by both planes is 3124 miles, determine the average speed of each plane.

Answer 1

You can set up a table to solve this:

 

               distance         rate      time

Seattle          d                r          4.5

Boston      3124 -d       r-44         2.5

 

Since distance = rate * time

d = 4.5r

3124-d = 2.5(r-44)

 

You should be able to solve from here