Solve the Rational Equation

Question

A man drove his car 132 miles before the water pump broke. The car was then pushed 1 mile to a gas station. The man could drive the car 12 times faster than he could push the car. It the total trip took 3 hours, find out how fast the man could push the car

Answer 1

Let x = speed of pushing the car.  Then 12x=speed of driving.  Time = distance/speed

 

132/(12x) + 1/(x) = 3 

 

132/12x + 12/12x = 3

 

144/12x = 3

 

12/x = 3

 

x = 4