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Algebra Level 2

A train 120 meters long travels at 60km/hr. A man is running at 6km/hr in the same direction in which the train is going. Find the time(in seconds) taken by the train to cross the man.


The answer is 8.

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5 solutions

Cab Zyx
Feb 15, 2014

relative speed 60-6=54km/hr=15m/s time=distance/speed=120/15=8sec

120+x=16.67t and x=1.67t, so t=8s

Didarul Alam - 7 years, 3 months ago
Vishal Yash
Jun 1, 2014

it is clear that velocity appear to the man is 60-6=54km/hr=15m/sec , and we have distance 120m so required time is 120/15=8

120m/15ms-1=8s

Abhinandan Shetty
Feb 16, 2014

The man is moving with respect to ground so in order to make the man an inertial frame of reference we need to stop him by using vector reversal technique.Here we simply reverse the velocity vector of the man and use vector addition to add it with velocity of train.We get velocity of train with respect to man as (60-6=54)km/hr =15 m/s.

Note: Here we have subtracted 6 from 60 because in vector addition direction matters and since we have reversed the velocity vector of man and then we are adding it to train's velocity vector we get relative velocity with respect to man as 15 m/s.

Now taking length of train as distance with respect to man (i.e distance=120 meter) and using formula time=distance/speed we get Time=120/15 = 8 sec.

good..

Maneeha Nawab - 7 years, 3 months ago
Ryan Teo
Feb 15, 2014

For simplicity we will assume the train moves first, then the man moves a distance according to the time.

For the train to travel 0.12km at a speed of 1/60 km/s, it will take 7.2s

In 7.2s, the man traveling at 1/600 km/s will move 0.012km

For the train to travel 0.012km at a speed of 1/60 km/s, it will take 0.72s

Repeating this cycle will give time values of the train: 7.2, 0.72, 0.072, 0.0072, etc.

This is identified as a geometric progression where the common ratio = 0.1

Using the equation to find the sum to infinity of a GP

S = a/(1-r)

S = (7.2)/(1-0.1)

S = 8s

find relative velocity. then convert into m/s , then distance/velocity

Rishabh Gupta - 7 years, 3 months ago

You love math too much, don't you?

Tarun Prasad Sahu - 7 years, 3 months ago

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I'm not the practical mathematician, I do it for the beauty haha

Ryan Teo - 7 years, 3 months ago

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Loved your method...never thought about it!!

Tanya Gupta - 7 years, 3 months ago

No such thing!

Michael Tang - 7 years, 3 months ago

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