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9. Since the trains started simultaneously, the time they have been
traveling till they meet is equal. And hence the distance they
cover will be in ratio of their speed. Since the train from Bombay
has covered 700 km and the train from Kolkata has covered
1600 700 = 900 kms, the ratio of their speeds will be 700 :
900 i.e. 7 : 9.
10. A police-man starts chasing a thief. The ratio of the speeds of
the thief and the policeman is 9 : 11 and when the policeman
catches the thief it is found that the policeman has covered 60
meters more than the thief. How much distance did the police
have to run to nab the thief?
10. Since the chase starts with both of them running simultaneously, from this p
oint onwards to the time the police has caught the thief,
they are running for same duration. Thus the distance covered will be proportion
al to their speeds. So we are searching for two distances
in the ratio 9 : 11 and the difference being 60 meters i.e. 2 of the ratio scale
corresponds to 60 mts, implying that the multiplying factor is 30. Hence
distance run by police will be 11 30 = 330.
11. In the movie Ghulam, Aamir is able to spot the approaching train when it is
2 km away. He has to run towards the train and reach the red
kerchief hung on a pole 400 meters away from him before the train reaches the po
le. How fast must Aamir run if the speed of the train
is 36 kmph so that he just manages to reach the kerchief at the same time as the
train reaches it?
11. From the point when the distance between them is 2000 m, Aamir has to cover
a distance of 400 m and the train will cover the
rest of the 1600 m i.e. the distance will be in the ratio 1 : 4. Since they are
running for the same duration,
the speed will be proportional to the distance covered. Since the speed of the t
rain is 36 kmph, the speed of Aamir should be 9 kmph.
12. A car overtakes an auto at point A at 9 am. The car reaches point B at 11 am
and immediately turns back. It again meets
the auto at point C at 11:30 am. At what time will the auto reach B?
Since the car takes 2 hours to travel AB and 0.5 hours to travel BC, The ratio o
f the distances AB : BC will be 2 : 0.5 i.e. 4 : 1.
(Distance is proportional to time) Since C lies in between A and B, the ratio of
the distance AC to CB will be 3 : 1.
The auto has traveled AC in 2.5 hours (from 9 am to 11:30 am). To travel CB (one
-third distance of AC)
he will take 2.5 hrs /3 =150 min/ 3 = 50 more minutes. Thus the auto will reach
B at 12:20 pm.
13. There is a tunnel connecting city A and B. There is a CAT which is standing
at 3/8 the length of the tunnel from A.
It listens a whistle of the train and starts running towards the entrance where,
the train and the CAT meet.
In another case, the CAT started running towards the exit and the train again me
t the CAT at the exit. What is the ratio of their speeds?
[CAT 2002]
here time is constant----> so use s1/s2 = d1/d2 ; let speed of train be x ... wh
en train runs x then cat runs 3 and when cat runs5 the tran
runs x+8 equae it x=12 ratio of speeds =12:3 i.e. 4:1.
14. Only a single rail track exists between station A and B on a railway line. O
ne hour after the north bound superfast train N leaves station
A for station B, a south passenger train S reaches station A from station B. The
speed of the superfast train is twice that of a normal express
train E, while the speed of a passenger train S is half that of E. On a particul
ar day N leaves for station B from station A, 20 minutes behind
the normal schedule. In order to maintain the schedule both N and S increased th
eir speed. If the superfast train doubles its speed, what should
be the ratio (approximately) of the speed of passenger train to that of the supe
rfast train so that passenger train S reaches exactly at the scheduled
time at the station A on that day? [CAT 2002]
1) 1 : 3
2) 1 : 4
3) 1 : 5
4) 1 : 6
Let the speed of superfast & passenger train is N & S respectively. Since there
is one single track so combined time taken by superfast & passenger
train is !hr. Ratio of speed N/S = 4:1 ===> ratio of time = 1:4===> time taken b
y superfast train = 1/5*60 = 12 min & time taken by passenger train
= 48 min. Now one day train started 20 min late --since speed of superfast is do
ubled time taken is --6 min .
so time taken by passenger train to reac on time = 60 - (20+6) = 34min : so new
ratio is 6:34 = 1:6 (approx)
15. Two boats start from opposite banks of river perpendicular to the shore. One
is faster then the other. They meet at 720 yards
from one of the ends. After reaching opposite ends they rest for 10mins each. Af
ter that they start back.
This time on the return journey they meet at 400yards from the other end of the
river. Calculate the width of the river.Also find ratio of speed of boats.
15. when they meet for the first time , together they will cover 1 round in whic
h 1st boat will contribute 720; when they meet for the 2nd time
together they will contribute 3 round -- so contibution by 1st boat is 720*3 =21
60 ,but since they are meeting from other end .
so length is 2160-400 = 1760
15. Alternative method: he distances traveled by the boats are proportional to t
heir speeds
___ since the speeds are constant, the ratio of the distances is constant
let w="width of river" ___ river is >720 yd wide
let x and y be the boat distances
at first meeting ___ x=720, y=w-720
at second meeting ___ x=w+400, y=2w-400
ratio of distances is constant, so 720/(w-720)=(w+400)/(2w-400) on solving this
W = 1760
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$--APPLICATION OF AM/HM IN TSD -- $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Using AM & HM in proportionality relations
Quite often in questions we find that the given speeds (or time taken) are in an
Arithmetic Progression. And if distance covered at the speeds is constant, then
time taken (or speeds) will be inversely proportional i.e. they will be in Harm
onic Progression.
For those who have forgotten, the Arithmetic Mean of a and b is
1. You walk upwards on an escalator, with a speed of 1 step per second. After 50
steps you are at the end. You turn around and run downwards with a speed of 5 s
teps per second. After 125 steps you are back at the beginning of the escalator.
The Question: How many steps do you need if the escalator stands still?
Case 1: when escalator & man are moving in same direction, --- No. of steps cove
red by man is always less than actual no. of steps in escalator.
Case 2: when escalator & man are moving in opposite direction, --- No. of steps
covered by man is always more than actual no. of steps in escalator.
say escalator speed x steps/sec.
so total steps = 50+50x.(from upward condition, in 50 sec escalator will cover 5
0x).
Total time to reach up is 50 sec.
total time to reach down = 25 sec.(125 steps, 5 steps/sec)
total steps = 125- 25x (in 25 sec escalator will cover 25 x)
50+50x = 125 - 25x
75 x = 75=>x =1,
so total steps = 50 + 50*1= 100
2. A walks down an up-escalator and counts 150 steps. B walks up the same escala
tor and counts 75 steps. A takes three times as many steps in a given time as B.
How many steps are visible on the escalator?
Approach 1:
Let N = no. of steps in escalator (when escalator is not moving)
Speed of a / speed of b = 3:2 , let speed of a = 3x & speed of b = 2x
Case 1: A walk down on up- escalator,
N /(3x-e) =1 50/3x-------------(1)
Case 2: B walk up on up- escalator,
N/(2x+e) = 75/2x --------(2)
Dividing eq 1 by eq 2 , you will get e= x
Putting e = x you will get N= 120 steps.
Remember
Case 1: when escalator & man are moving in same direction, --- No. of steps cove
red by man is always less than actual no. of steps in escalator.
Case 2: when escalator & man are moving in opposite direction, --- No. of steps
covered by man is always more than actual no. of steps in escalator.
Let T be time B takes to make 25 steps. Then B takes 3T to make 75, and A takes
2T to make 150. Suppose the escalator has N steps visible and moves n steps in t
ime T. Then A covers N + 2n = 150, N - 3n = 75. Hence N = 120, n = 15.
. If he runs up 8 steps, then he needs 37.5 seconds to reach the top.
If he runs up 14 steps, then he needs 28.5 seconds to reach the top.
The 6 additional steps take 9.0 seconds.
Therefore, each step takes 1.5 seconds.
Total steps in escalator = 8 + 37.5 / 1.5 = 33 or Total steps in escalator = 14
+ 28.5 / 1.5 = 33.
If Colin did not run up any steps at all,
he would reach the top of the escalator in 49.5 seconds (i.e., 33 steps 1.5 seco
nds/step).
Alternative Solution through Equations:
Let the total number of steps in the escalator be x.
The escalator moves at a constant speed given by
Speed of escalator = (x 8)/37.5 = (x 14)/28.5
The above equation may be solved as follows.
28.5 (x 8) = 37.5 (x 14); or
x = (14 37.5 8 28.5) / (37.5 28.5) = 33.
Now, Speed of escalator = (33 8)/37.5 = (33 14)/28.5 = 1/1.5 steps/second.
Time to reach top = Total Steps / Speed = 49.5 seconds.
Approach 3 :
Let escalator speed = e steps/sec
No. of steps = 8+37.5x = 14+28.5x
X = 2/3
No. of steps = 8 + 37.5*2/3 = 33 steps
Now, Speed of escalator = (33 8)/37.5 = (33 14)/28.5 = 1/1.5 steps/second.
Time to reach top = Total Steps / Speed = 49.5 seconds.
4. Shyama and Vyom walk up an escalator (moving stairway). The escalator moves a
t a constant speed. Shyama takes three steps for every two of Vyoms steps. Shyama
gets to the top of the escalator after having taken 25 steps, while Vyom (becau
se his slower pace lets the escalator do a little more of the work) takes only 2
0 steps to reach the top. If the escalator were turned off, how many steps would
they have to take to walk up? (cat 2001)
a. 40 b. 50 c. 60 d. 80
4. Shyama and Vyom walk up an escalator (moving stairway). The escalator moves a
t a constant speed. Shyama takes three steps for every two of Vyoms steps. Shyama
gets to the top of the escalator after having taken 25 steps, while Vyom (becau
se his slower pace lets the escalator do a little more of the work) takes only 2
0 steps to reach the top. If the escalator were turned off, how many steps would
they have to take to walk up? (cat 2001)
a. 40 b. 50 c. 60 d. 80
5. 2 kids, John and Jim, are running on an escalator (a moving stairway). John i
s running three times as fast as Jim, and by the time they are off the escalator
, John has stepped on 75 stairs while Jim has stepped on 50 stairs. How many sta
irs does the escalator have? How is its speed related to the speed of the boys?
Were they running with or against the escalator?
5. The answers are: the length is 100 stairs, the boys were running along the es
calator which was moving with the same speed as the slow boy. Solution: in the t
ime the fast boy stepped on 75 stairs, the slow one could step on only 25, so, s
ince he stepped on 50, he spent twice as much time on the escalator as the fast
one. Therefore his speed relative to the ground was half that of the fast boy, t
herefore the escalator s speed was the same as the speed of the slow boy, and he
counted exactly half the stairs. Another way is to use algebra (omitted).
Approach 2:
Assume A takes 1 step per unit time. Then B will take
. Also, assume the the escalator is moving at E steps
Let T be the total number of steps.
Let ta be time taken by A on the escalator, tb = time
r.
Since A takes 50 steps therefore we have:
50 = T/(1+E) units of time.
similarly,
75 /3= T/(3+E) units of time.
Solving for T, E we get E = 1 step per unit time; T =
100 steps
6. A man can walk up a moving up escalator in 30 second. The same can walk down th
is moving up escalator in 90 seconds. Assume his walking speed is same Upwards & d
ownwards. How much time he will take to walk up the escalator when escalator is
not moving ? (cat 1994)
7. An escalator is descending at constant speed. A walks down and takes 50 steps
to reach the bottom. B runs down faster and takes 90 steps to reach the bottom.
If B takes 90 steps in the same time as A takes 10 steps then how many steps are
visible when the escalator is not operating?
B = 9
A = 1
50 + 50x = 90 + 10x
=> x = 1
total steps = 100
Case : When A & B walk on unmoving surface
10 Steps of A = 90 Steps of B .................... [Eq.1]
=> Speed of A : Speed of B :: 1 : 9
=> Time of A : Time of B :: 9 : 1
Case : When A & B walk on esclator
Steps taken by B : 90
TIme taken by B : T
Steps taken by A : 50
Time taken by A : 5T [From [Eq.1]]
Time of A : Time of B :: 5 : 1
let e be the number of steps moved by the esclator when A takes 1 step
So
(1+ e) / (9 + e) = 1/5
=> e = 1 step for every step of A
A takes 50 steps
=> Esclator has moved by 50 steps
Total number of steps = 50 + 50 = 100
8. On an upward moving escalator Amit, Sanjeev and Vicky take 10 steps, 8 steps
and 5 steps respectively to reach the top. On the same upward moving escalator A
mit takes 30 steps to come down from the top.Find the ratio of the time taken by
Sanjeev and Vicky to reach the top.
10 + 5x = 30 15x
=> x = 1
and total number of steps = 15
8 + S = 15
=> S = 7
5 + V = 15
=> V = 10
so , ratio = S : V = 7 : 10
no. of steps = 10+x = 30 3x===> 4x = 20 ===> x = 5; so total no. of steps in e
scalator is 15;now sanjeev takes 8steps
(remaining 7 are taken by escalator on his behalf); amit5 steps ( (remaining 1
0 are taken by escalator on his behalf); so required ratio is 7:10