Two planes leave from Topeka, Kansas. The first plane travels east at a rate of 278 mph. The second plane travels west at a speed of 310 mph. How long will it take for them to be 1176 miles apart?

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Answer 1 · 2017-02-17T11:33:19

Extreme detail given. With practice you would become much faster than this using shortcuts.

the plains would be 1176 miles apart at 2 hours flight time

Assumption: both planes are traveling in a strait line and they take off at the same time.

Let time in hours be #t#

The speed of separation is #(278+310) mph = 588mph#

Distance is speed (velocity) multiplied by time.

#588t=1176#

Divide both sides by 588

#588t-:588=1176-:588#

#588/588xxt=1176/588#

But #588/588=1#

#1xxt = 1176/588#

#t=1176/588#

#t=2" hours"#