TIME & DISTANCE

In this module we will deal with basic concepts of time and distance, speed, average speed, conversion from km/h to m/s and vice versa. This chapter will form the basis of further concept of relative speed which is used in train and boat problems.

Important Formulas

1. Speed=Distance/Time
2. Distance=Speed×Time
3. Time=Distance/Speed
4. To convert Kilometers per Hour(km/hr) to Meters per Second(m/s)
   x km/hr=(x×5)/18m/s
5. To convert Meters per Second(m/s) to Kilometers per Hour(km/hr)
   x m/s=(x×18)/5 km/hr
6. If a car covers a certain distance at x kmph and an equal distance at y kmph, the average speed of the whole journey = 2xy/(x+y) kmph
7. Speed and time are inversely proportional (when distance is constant) ⇒Speed ∝1/Time (when distance is constant)
8. If the ratio of the speeds of A and B is a : b, then the ratio of the times taken by them to cover the same distance is 1/a:1/b or b : a

Solved Examples

Level 1

Answer : Option D

Explanation :

Distance = 600 meter

time = 5 minutes = 5 x 60 seconds = 300 seconds

Speed = distance/time=600/300=2m/s=(2×18)/5 km/hr=36/5 km/hr=7.2 km/hr

Answer : Option A

Explanation :

Relative speed = 5.5 – 5 = .5 kmph (because they walk in the same direction)

distance = 8.5 km

Time = distance/speed=8.5/.5=17 hr.

Answer : Option D

Explanation :

New speed = 6/7 of usual speed
Speed and time are inversely proportional.
Hence new time = 7/6 of usual time
Hence, 7/6 of usual time – usual time = 12 minutes
=>1/6 of usual time = 12 minutes => usual time = 12 x 6 = 72 minutes = 1 hour 12 minutes

Answer : Option D

Explanation :

If a car covers a certain distance at x kmph and an equal distance at y kmph,the average speed of the whole journey = 2xy/(x+y) kmph

Hence, average speed = (2×3×2)/(2+3)=12/5 km/hr .

Total time taken = 5 hours

⇒Distance travelled=(12/5)×5=12 km

⇒Distance between his house and office =12/2=6 km

Answer : Option D

Explanation :

Assume that the person would have covered x km if travelled at 10 km/hr

⇒Speed = Distance/Time=x/10….. (Equation1)

Give that the person would have covered (x + 20) km if travelled at 14 km/hr
⇒Speed = Distance/Time=(x+20)/14….. (Equation2)

From Equations 1 and 2,
X/10=(x+20)/14⇒14x=10x+200⇒4x=200⇒x=200/4=50

Answer : Option B

Explanation :

Speed1 = 50 miles/hour

Time1 = 2*(1/2) hour=5/2 hour

⇒Distance1 = Speed1 × Time1 = (50×5)/2=25×5=125 miles

⇒Speed2 = 70 miles/hour

Time2 = 1*1/2 hour=3/2 hour

Distance2 = Speed2 × Time2 = 70×3/2=35×3=105 miles

Total Distance = Distance1 + Distance2 =125+105=230 miles

Answer : Option D

Explanation :

Speed of the sound = 1100 ft/s ⇒Time = ¹¹/₅ second

Distance = Speed × Time = 1100 ×11/5=220×11=2420 ft

Answer : Option A

Explanation :

Speed = 5 km/hr

Time = 15 minutes = 1/4 hour

Length of the bridge = Distance Travelled by the man

= Speed × Time = 5×1/4 km

=5×1/4×1000 metre=1250 metre

Level 2

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

distance = speed x time
Let time taken to travel the first half = x hr
then time taken to travel the second half = (10 – x) hr
Distance covered in  the first half = 21x
Distance covered in  the second half = 24(10 – x)
But distance covered in  the first half = Distance covered in the second half
=> 21x = 24(10 – x) => 21x = 240 – 24x => 45x = 240 => 9x = 48 => 3x = 16⇒x=16/3

Hence Distance covered in the first half = 21x=21×16/3=7×16=112 km. Total distance = 2×112=224 km

Answer : Option B

Explanation :

Time = 1 hr 40 min 48 sec = 1hr +40/60hr+48/3600hr=1+2/3+1/75=126/75hr

Distance = 42 kmSpeed=distance/time=42(126/75) =42×75/126

⇒5/7 of the actual speed = 42×75/126

⇒actual speed = 42×75/126×7/5=42×15/18=7×15/3=7×5=35 km/hr

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

Let the distance be x km , the speed in which he moved = v kmph

Time taken when moving at normal speed – time taken when moving 3 kmph faster = 40 minutes

⇒x/v−x/(v+3)=40/60⇒x[1/v−1/(v+3)]=2/3⇒x[(v+3−v)/v(v+3)]=2/3

⇒2v(v+3)=9x…………….(Equation1)

Time taken when moving 2 kmph slower – Time taken when moving at normal speed = 40 minutes
⇒x/(v−2)−x/v=40/60⇒x[1/(v−2)−1/v]=2/3

⇒x[(v−v+2)/v(v−2)]=2/3⇒x[2/v(v−2)]=2/3

⇒x[1/v(v−2)]=1/3⇒v(v−2)=3x…………….(Equation2)

Equation1/Equation2

⇒2(v+3)/(v−2)=3⇒2v+6=3v−6⇒v=12

Substituting this value of v inEquation1⇒2×12×15=9x

=>x= (2×12×15)/9= (2×4×15)/3=2×4×5=40. Hence distance = 40 km

Answer : Option B

Explanation :

Let the speed of Arun = x kmph and the speed of Anil = y kmph
distance = 30 km

We know that distance/speed=time. Hence, 30/x−30/y=2………..(Equation1)

30/y−30/2x=1………..(Equation2)

Equation1 + Equation2⇒30/x−30/2x=3⇒30/2x=3⇒15/x=3⇒5/x=1⇒x=5. Hence Arun’s speed = 5 kmph

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

If a car covers a certain distance at x kmph and an equal distance at y kmph,the average speed of the whole journey = 2xy/(x+y) kmph.

By using the same formula, we can find out the average speed quickly average speed = (2×64×80)/(64+80)=(2×64×80)/144⇒ (2×32×40)/36= (2×32×10)/9⇒ (64×10)/9=71.11 kmph

Answer : Option D

Explanation :

Total distance travelled = 10 + 12 = 22 km

Time taken to travel 10 km at an average speed of 12 km/hr = distance/speed=10/12 hr

Time taken to travel 12 km at an average speed of 10 km/hr = distance/speed=12/10 hr

Total time taken =10/12+12/10 hr

Average speed = distance/time=22/(10/12+12/10)=(22×120)/{(10×10)+(12×12)}

(22×120)/244=(11×120)/122=(11×60)/61=660/61≈10.8 kmph

Answer : Option D

Explanation :

Speed and time are inversely proportional ⇒Speed ∝ 1/Time (when distance is constant)

Here distance is constant and Speed and time are inversely proportional

Speed ∝ 1/Time⇒Speed1/Speed2=Time2/Time1

⇒240/Speed2=(1*2/3)5⇒240/Speed2=(5/3)/5⇒240/Speed2=1/3⇒Speed2=240×3=720 km/hr

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

Let speed of the car = x kmph

Then speed of the train = x *(100+50)/100=150 x /100=3 x /2 kmph

Time taken by the car to travel from A to B=75/x hours

Time taken by the train to travel from A to B=75/(3 x /2)+12.5/60 hours

Since both start from A at the same time and reach point B at the same time

75/x=75/(3 x /2)+12.5/60⇒25/x=12.5/60⇒x=(25×60)/12.5=2×60=120

TIME AND WORK

In these problems the number of persons, quantity of work done and time taken are important factors. Also time taken by a person depends on the efficiency of that person which comes into picture when different people do the work such as women, children do the work alongside the men. The problems related to time and work can be solved by two major approaches – ratio & proportions and unitary method. Let us proceed to find some formulae related to these questions.

Important Formulas – Time and Work

• If A can do a piece of work in n days, work done by A in 1 day = 1/n

• If A does 1/n work in a day, A can finish the work in n days

• If M1 men can do W1 work in D1 days working H1 hours per day and M2 men can do W2 work in D2 days working H2 hours per day (where all men work at the same rate), then

M1 D1 H1 / W1 = M2 D2 H2 / W2

• If A can do a piece of work in p days and B can do the same in q days, A and B together can finish it in pq / (p+q) days

• If A is thrice as good as B in work, then

Ratio of work done by A and B = 3:1

Ratio of time taken to finish a work by A and B = 1: 3

SOLVED EXAMPLES

Level 1

Answer : Option A

Explanation :

Amount of work P can do in 1 day = 1/15

Amount of work Q can do in 1 day = 1/20

Amount of work P and Q can do in 1 day = 1/15 + 1/20 = 7/60

Amount of work P and Q can together do in 4 days = 4 × (7/60) = 7/15

Fraction of work left = 1 – 7/15= 8/15

Answer : Option A

Explanation :

Work done by A in 1 hour = 1/4

Work done by B and C in 1 hour = 1/3

Work done by A and C in 1 hour = 1/2

Work done by A,B and C in 1 hour = 1/4+1/3 = 7/12

Work done by B in 1 hour = 7/12 – 1/2 = 1/12

=> B alone can complete the work in 12 hours

Answer : Option A

Explanation :

Work done by A in 20 days = 80/100 = 8/10 = 4/5

Work done by A in 1 day = (4/5) / 20 = 4/100 = 1/25 — (1)

Work done by A and B in 3 days = 20/100 = 1/5 (Because remaining 20% is done in 3 days by A and B)

Work done by A and B in 1 day = 1/15 —(2)

Work done by B in 1 day = 1/15 – 1/25 = 2/75

=> B can complete the work in 75/2 days = 37 ½ days

Answer : Option D

Explanation :

Work done by P in 1 day = 1/18

Work done by Q in 1 day = 1/15

Work done by Q in 10 days = 10/15 = 2/3

Remaining work = 1 – 2/3 = 1/3

Number of days in which P can finish the remaining work = (1/3) / (1/18) = 6

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

Pages typed by Anil in 1 hour = 32/6 = 16/3

Pages typed by Suresh in 1 hour = 40/5 = 8

Pages typed by Anil and Suresh in 1 hour = 16/3 + 8 = 40/3

Time taken to type 110 pages when Anil and Suresh work together = 110 × 3 /40 = 33/4

= 8 ¼ hours = 8 hour 15 minutes

Answer : Option D

Explanation :

Work done by Q in 1 day = 1/12

Work done by P in 1 day = 2 × (1/12) = 1/6

Work done by P and Q in 1 day = 1/12 + 1/6 = ¼

=> P and Q can finish the work in 4 days

Answer : Option B

Explanation :

Answer : Option B

Explanation :

Amount Earned by P,Q and R in 1 day = 1620/9 = 180 —(1)

Amount Earned by P and R in 1 day = 600/5 = 120 —(2)

Amount Earned by Q and R in 1 day = 910/7 = 130 —(3)

(2)+(3)-(1) => Amount Earned by P , Q and 2R in 1 day

– Amount Earned by P,Q and R in 1 day = 120+130-180 = 70

=>Amount Earned by R in 1 day = 70
Ratio of the capacity of a man and woman =1/(15×16) : 1/(16×20) = 1/15 : 1/20

= 1/3 :1/4 = 4:3

Level 2

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

Amount of work P can do in 1 day = 1/20

Amount of work Q can do in 1 day = 1/30

Amount of work R can do in 1 day = 1/60

P is working alone and every third day Q and R is helping him

Work completed in every three days = 2 × (1/20) + (1/20 + 1/30 + 1/60) = 1/5

So work completed in 15 days = 5 × 1/5 = 1

Ie, the work will be done in 15 days

Answer : Option B

Explanation :

If A completes a work in 1 day, B completes the same work in 3 days

Hence, if the difference is 2 days, B can complete the work in 3 days

=> if the difference is 60 days, B can complete the work in 90 days

=> Amount of work B can do in 1 day= 1/90

Amount of work A can do in 1 day = 3 × (1/90) = 1/30

Amount of work A and B can together do in 1 day = 1/90 + 1/30 = 4/90 = 2/45

=> A and B together can do the work in 45/2 days = 22 ½ days

Answer : Option A

Explanation :

Let work done by 1 man in 1 day = m and work done by 1 woman in 1 day = b

Work done by 6 men and 8 women in 1 day = 1/10

=> 6m + 8b = 1/10

=> 60m + 80b = 1 — (1)

Work done by 26 men and 48 women in 1 day = 1/2

=> 26m + 48b = ½

=> 52m + 96b = 1— (2)

Solving equation 1 and equation 2. We get m = 1/100 and b = 1/200

Work done by 15 men and 20 women in 1 day

= 15/100 + 20/200 =1/4

=> Time taken by 15 men and 20 women in doing the work = 4 days

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

Work done by P in 1 hour = 1/8

Work done by Q in 1 hour = 1/10

Work done by R in 1 hour = 1/12

Work done by P,Q and R in 1 hour = 1/8 + 1/10 + 1/12 = 37/120

Work done by Q and R in 1 hour = 1/10 + 1/12 = 22/120 = 11/60

From 9 am to 11 am, all the machines were operating.

Ie, they all operated for 2 hours and work completed = 2 × (37/120) = 37/60.

Answer : Option A

Explanation :

A can complete the work in 12 days working 8 hours a day

=> Number of hours A can complete the work = 12×8 = 96 hours

=> Work done by A in 1 hour = 1/96

B can complete the work in 8 days working 10 hours a day

=> Number of hours B can complete the work = 8×10 = 80 hours => Work done by B in 1 hour = 1/80

Work done by A and B in 1 hour = 1/96 + 1/80 = 11/480 => A and B can complete the work in 480/11 hours. A and B works 8 hours a day.

Hence total days to complete the work with A and B working together = (480/11)/ (8) = 60/11 days = 5 ⁵⁄₁₁ days

Pending work = 1- 37/60 = 23/60

Hours taken by Q an R to complete the pending work = (23/60) / (11/60) = 23/11

which is approximately equal to 2. Hence the work will be completed approximately 2 hours after 11 am ; ie around 1 pm

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

Wages of 1 woman for 1 day = 21600/(40×30)

Wages of 1 man for 1 day = (21600×2)/(40×30)

Wages of 1 man for 25 days = (21600×2×25)/(40×30)

Number of men = 14400/(21600×2×25)/(40×30)=144/(216×50)/40×30)=144/9=16

Answer : Option C

Explanation :

Work completed in 1st day = 1/16

Work completed in 2nd day = (1/16) + (1/16) = 2/16

Work completed in 3rd day = (1/16) + (1/16) + (1/16) = 3/16

An easy way to attack such problems is from the choices. You can see the choices are

very close to each other. So just see one by one.

For instance, The first choice given in 3 ¹⁄₄

The work done in 3 days = 1/16 + 2/16 + 3/16 = (1+2+3)/16 = 6/16

The work done in 4 days = (1+2+3+4)/16 = 10/16

The work done in 5 days = (1+2+3+4+5)/16 = 15/16, almost close, isn’t it?

The work done in 6 days = (1+2+3+4+5+6)/16 > 1

Hence the answer is less than 6, but greater than 5. Hence the answer is 5 ¹⁄₆ days.

(Just for your reference, work done in 5 days = 15/16)

Pending work in 6th day = 1 – 15/16 = 1/16.

In 6th day, 6 people are working and work done = 6/16.

To complete the work 1/16, time required = (1/16) / (6/16) = 1/6 days.

Hence total time required = 5 + 1/6 = 5 ¹⁄₆ days