# Determining time it takes for two approaching cars to meet

I'm currently having problem with this question. "Solve the problem involving uniform motion: One car starts from the point A and moving to the point B. Another car starts at the same time from the point B and moves to the point A along the same highway towards the first car. Assign your numbers for the speed of each car (mph), and assign your number for distance between A and B (ml). Make an equation with x as a time of movement. Solve an equation for x to find how long it will take for cars to meet (find x)."

I came up with this answer, I'm not sure if it's right. Speed of car A: 35mph

Speed of car B: 25mph

Distance: 240 miles

Time = distance/rate

x = 240 miles / 60 mph

x = 4 hours

or maybe (?)

240 = 40x + 25x

240 = 60x

240/60 = x

4 = x

If it's wrong, can someone please tell me what I did wrong, and help me with that mistake. Thank you!

Btw, if I tagged my question under the wrong labels; please edit that for me also. :-)

• I'm guessing that the points A and B are $240$ miles apart? – ClassicStyle Apr 23 '15 at 4:26
• The first solution is nicer. Probably the second solution is the intended one. – André Nicolas Apr 23 '15 at 4:37

You are doing fine except for the typo where you have $40x$ instead of $35x$ but that is corrected in the next line. In your first solution, you should have some words to explain where the $60$ mph comes from-it is the closing speed of the two cars.