c c
 


The Pipes and cisterns use the same principles as of time and work. Here a pipe connected with a
cistern is called an inlet pipe to fill it or an outlet pipe to empty it.
Important points

1. If an inlet pipe can fill a cistern in A hours, the part filled in 1 hour = 1/A (same as work and
time fundamental)
2. If pipe A is µx¶ times bigger than pipe B , then pipe A will take 1/xth of the time taken by pipe
B to fill the cistern.

  It take 4 hrs for pipe A to empty a 100 liter tank, if another pipe B which double the
size of pipe is employed how long will it take to empty the tank?

Since the Pipe is double the size, it will take ½ time of the time taken by the smaller pipe
Therefore 1/2 × 4 = 2 hrs

3. If an inlet pipe can fill a tank in A hours and an outlet pipe empties the full tank in B hours,
then the net part filled in 1 hour when both the pipes are opened
= 1/a - 1/b

In 1 hour, the part filled (or emptied) = 1/a - 1/b

Time required to fill or empty the tank = ab / a-b hours

  There are two pipes (inlet and outlet) attached with a tank of 1000 litres, the inlet
pipe can fill the tank in 2 hrs, the outlet pipe can empty the tank in 4 hrs. What is the time
required to fill the tank in case both are open? In one hour what part of tank will be filled?
Inlet pipe time to fill the tank = 2 hrs
Outlet pipe time to empty the tank = 4 hrs
Time to fill the tank = hours = 4x2/2 = 4 hrs
Net part filled/emptied in one hour = 1/a -1/b =1/2 - 1/4 = ¼ th of the tank, which is even
obvious from the earlier result.
4. If X and Y fill/empty a cistern in µm¶ and µn¶ hours, then together they will take (mn/m+n)
hours to fill/empty the cistern and in one hour (n+m/nm) th part of the cistern will be filled/
emptied.(same as time and work)

  There are two pipes attached with a tank of 1000 litres, Pipe A can fill the tank in 2
hrs, the Pipe B can fill the tank in 4 hrs. What is the time required to fill the tank in case both are
open?
Inlet pipe time to fill the tank = 2 hrs
Outlet pipe time to empty the tank = 4 hrs
Time to fill the tank = (mn/m+n)hours = 4x2/2+4 = 1.33 hrs

5. If an inlet pipe fills a cistern in µa¶ minutes and takes µx¶ minutes longer to fill the cistern due
to a leak in the cistern, then the time in which the leak will empty the cistern is given by a(1+a/x)

  There is a pipe attached with a tank of 1000 liters, the inlet pipe can fill the tank in 2
hrs, there is a leak in the tank due to which it takes 2 hrs more to fill the tank. In what time can
leak empty the tank?
Time take by pipe to empty the tank = 2 hrs
Extra time taken due to the leak = 2 hrs
By the formula,
Time taken for leak to empty the tank = a(1+a/x)
Therefore = 4 hrs



c

 A man works for 5 hrs/day for 3 days to finish a work. A boy finishes the same in 5 days
working 12 hrs/day. How many boys are required to do the job in the time taken by 1 man?
 Number of hours taken by man = 5 × 3 = 15
Number of hours taken by the boy = 12 × 5 = 60
To do the job in 15 hrs (time taken by man), boys required = 60/15= 4 boys

 A set of farmers can completely harvest a crop in 10 days. However 12 farmers fell ill. The
remaining now can do the job in 15 days. Find the original number of farmers
 Suppose number of farmers = X
X can do the job in 10 days = 10X
Since 12 fell ill, X ± 12 could do the job in 15 days
= (X ± 12)15
Since job is same
10X = (X ± 12)15
X = 36 farmers

  If 6 men or 10 women can do a job in 2 days, find how long 4 men and 9 women to do the
same.
 Here 6 men¶s work = 10 women¶s work
One man¶s work = women¶s work
Therefore when it is 4 Men + 9 women
It is 4 men + 9 × men = 9.4 men
Since 6 men can do the job in 2 day
1 man can do the job in 12 days
9.4 men can do the job in = 1.27 days

!20 men can clean 2 km of lawn in 120 days, how many men can clean 3 km of lawn in 60
days?
 Since 20 men can do 2 km in 120 days, therefore for 2 km man days required are 120 × 20
= 2400
For 3 km, which is 1.5 times 2, man days required will be 2400 × 1.5 = 3600
If days are 60, men required will be 3600/60 = 60

"20 men can clean 2 km of lawn in 120 days, how many men can clean 3 km of lawn in 60
days?
 Since 20 men can do 2 km in 120 days, therefore for 2 km man days required are 120 × 20
= 2400
For 3 km, which is 1.5 times 2, man days required will be 2400 × 1.5 = 3600
If days are 60, men required will be 3600/60 = 60

10 goats and 10 cows eat grass of 5 acres in a certain time. How many acres will feed 20
goats and 10 cows for the same time, supposing a cow eats as much as 2 goats?
 Since cows eat twice than goats, then 1 cow¶s work = 2 goats work
So for first job, 10 goats and 10 cows = 15 cows
And fore second job, 20 goats and 10 cows = 20 cows
If 15 cows can eat 5 acres in certain time, then in same time 20 cows will eat 20/15 × 5 = 6.67
acres

An engineer undertook to do a certain work in 40 days and employed 60 men for it. In 15
days only 1/4th of the work was done. How many extra men should the engineer employ in order
to complete the work in time?
 Work to be done in 40 days, as per schedule, 1/4th of the work done in 15 days therefore
the total work will be done in 60 days. Now man days required for the entire job are 60 × 60 =
3600. Man days required for the left 3/4th of job = 3600 × ¾ = 2700
Man days left with engineer = 25 × 60 = 1500
Excess man days required = 2700 ± 1550 = 1200
Here days cannot be extended therefore men required = 1200/25 = 48 men

 A can complete a project in 20 days and B can complete the same project in 30 days. If A
and B start working on the project together and A quits after 10 days, in how many days will the
project be completed?
 A can do the job in 20 days, Contribution in one day = 1/20, in ten days = 1/2
B can do the job in 30 days, Contribution one day = 1/30, in ten days = 1/3
Level of job done in 10 days with both
= 1/2 + 1/3 = 5/6, job left = 1/6
Only B has to do the job, B will do 1/6th job in 5 days (1/30th in one day)
Total days = 10 + 5 = 15 days

 A and B can do a piece of work in 21 and 24 days respectively. They started the work
together and after some days A leaves the work and B completes the remaining work in 9 days.
After how many days did A leave?
 Suppose A worked for X days
A can do the job in 21 days, in one day 1/21th of the job, in X days = X/21th of job
B can do the job in 24 days, in one day 1/24th of the job, in X + 9 days = X + 9/24th of job
Now since the job is done + = 1
Solving X = 7 days

# 5 men and 6 boys finish a piece of work in 4 days; 4 men and 3 boys in 6 days. In how
many days would 3 men and 6 boys finish the same work?
Ans. Man days for job done first way
= 4 (5M + 6B) = 20M + 24B
Man days for job done second way
= 6(4M + 3B) = 24M + 18B
As the man days are same,
20M + 24B = 24M + 18B
2M = 3B
Therefore for 3men and 6 boys
= 3 men and 4 men = 7 men
From first way, 9 men (5 men + 6 boys) can do the job in 4 days
Then 7 men will do the job in 9 × 4/7 = 36/7 days

 Three pipes A, B and C can fill an empty cistern in 20, 10 and 15 hours respectively
working alone. A is opened, after 5 hours B is opened and after another 2 hours pipe C is also
opened. For how many hours C will be opened now to fill the cistern completely?
 1 hour work of A = 1/20
1 hour work of B = 1/10
1 hour work of C = 1/15
A worked for 5 hours then (A + B) worked for 2 hours and then suppose that (A + B + C)
worked for another µx¶ hours.
5(1/20) + 2(1/20 + 1/10) + x(1/20 + 1/10 + 1/15) = 1
$%&'
X = 27/13 hours

( )*#&+ ,,&)-

The ³time, distance and speed´ is an important chapter from the CAT perspective and will surely
invite one or more questions from this section. The basic concepts are important to understand,
all the questions will be solved on the basics. The calculation speed is not important here, the
accuracy sure is.

c


The distance covered per unit time is called speed
Speed =
=> Time = distance/speed
=> Speed is directly proportional to distance and inversely to time

.&)
1. Time ± Seconds, minutes, hours
2. Distance ± meter, kilometer
3. Speed - km/hr, m/sec

$%*&$
1. Km/hr = 5m/18sec
2. m/s = 18 km/5 hr
3. Km/hr = 5 miles/ 8 hrs
4. miles/hr = 22 ft/15 sec
Average speed: The average speed is given by total distance by total time taken; this is the
formula to be remembered all the time.
Average Speed = Total Distance/Total Time = (d1+d2+d3+......dn)/(t1+t2+.........tn)

The average speed in case of a journey from X to Y at speed of A m/sec and returning back to X
at a speed of B m/sec, is [2AB/( A + B )] m/sec.

 : Sunil travels from Delhi to Noida at the speed of 40 km/hr and returns at the speed
of 50 km/hr, what is the average speed of the journey?
Using the formula,
2AB/A+B = 2x40x50/40+50 = 4000/90 = 44.44 Km/hr

Always remember the units, in what units you have started and in what units you are ending.
Alternative way is by the basic principle of mechanics, Speed = distance/time, which means
Time = Distance/Speed and Average Speed = Total distance / Total time
Suppose distance from Delhi to Noida is A, therefore

Time while going, T1 = A/40

Time while coming T2 = A/50
Total time = a/40+a/50 = 90a/40x50
Total Distance = A + A = 2A
Average speed =Total Distance/Total Time = a/40+a/50 = 90a/40x50 = 44.44 Km/hr

There are various types of problems from this topic and all of them can be easily solved using the
basic formulas given above. We will discuss some formulae and results for different kinds of
questions but students should always follow the basics in this chapter.

)&% , As the name suggests the concept is regarding the relative speeds to two or more
objects. The basic concept in relative speed is that speeds get added in case objects are moving
from opposite direction, and get subtracted in case objects are moving in same direction. For
example if two trains are moving in opposite direction with a speed of X km/hr and Y km/hr
respectively, then (X + Y) is their relative speed. In the other case if two trains are moving in
same direction with a speed of X km/hr and Y km/hr respectively, then (X ± Y) is their relative
speed. For the first case the time taken by the trains in passing each other = (L1 + L2)/(X + Y)
hours, where L1 and L2 are length of trains. For the second case the time taken by the trains in
passing each other = (L1 + L2)/ (X ±Y) hours, where L1 and L2 are length of trains.

  Two trains 100 m and 80 m in length are running in same direction. The first runs at
the rate of 51 m/s and the second at the rate of 42 m/s. How long will they take to cross each
other?
Here Length of train I = 100, Length of train II = 80
And Speed of train I = 51 m/s,
Speed of train II = 42 m/s
Relative speed = 51 ± 42 = 9 m/s
(sine trains are in opposite direction)
As per the formula L1+L2/X+ Y
=100+80/9= 20 seconds

   Two trains 100 m and 80 m in length are running in opposite direction. The first
runs at the rate of 10 m/s and the second at the rate of 15 m/s. How long will they take to cross
each other?
Here Length of train I = 100, Length of train II = 80
And Speed of train I = 10 m/s,
Speed of train II = 15 m/s
Relative speed = 10 + 15 = 25 m/s (since train

s are in same direction)

As per the formula L1 + L2 / X+Y =100+80/25 = 7.2 seconds

In case of train questions, students may remember these obvious results:

1. The time taken by train X meters long in passing a signal post is the time taken for the train to
cover X.

 ! A train 300 meters long has a speed of
10 m/s. How long will it take to pass an electric pole?
Time = Distance/speed, the distance here will be same as the length of the train
This is 300 meters, therefore
Time = 300/10 = 30 seconds

2. The time taken by train X meters long in passing any object which is Y meters long is the time
taken for the train to cover X + Y.

 "A train 300 meters long has a speed of 10 m/s. How long will it take to pass a
platform of 50 meters?
Time = Distance/speed, the distance here will be same as the length of the train + the length of
the platform. This is 300 + 50 = 350.
Therefore Time = 350/10 = 35 seconds
The same concept is used in water with boats and swimmers. As when you move upstream, your
speed gets deducted from the speed of the stream and when you move downstream yours and
stream¶s speed gets added:
Let the speed of a boat in still water be A km/hr and the speed of the stream (or current) be B
km/hr, then
(a) Speed of boat with the stream = (A + B) km/hr
(b) Speed of boat against the stream = (A ± B) km/hr
There are two obvious results in this concept:
1. Boat¶s speed in still water = speed down stream + Speed upstream/2

  A boat travels equal distance upstream and downstream, the upstream speed of boat
was 10 km/hr, whereas the downstream speed is 20 km/hr, what is the speed of the boat in still
water?
Upstream speed = 10 km/hr
Downstream speed = 20 km/hr
As per formula, Boat¶s speed in still water = speed down stream + Speed upstream/2

Therefore, Boat¶s speed in still water = = 15

2. Speed of current
= speed down stream - Speed upstream/2

  A boat travels equal distance upstream and downstream, the upstream speed of boat
was 10 km/hr, whereas the downstream speed is 20 km/hr, what is the speed of the current?
Upstream speed = 10 km/hr
Downstream speed = 20 km/hr
As per formula, Speed of current = Speed down stream - upstream / 2
Therefore, Speed of current = 10/2 = 5 km/hr

$- )$/ -Race is a competition between contestants in order to reach a point fastest.
There can be many kinds of races. We will study linear and circular races.
Linear races (non-circular): The concepts of time speed and distance are used in races, which
may be linear or circular or other types. Although with the basic concepts given above you will
be able to solve the races questions, but here are a few definitions in races,

'&+,0*)1$-$)))&*-

1. Before the start of the race, if X is at the starting point and Y is ahead of X by 10 meters, then
X is said to give Y a start of 10 meters. 10 meter here can be called as start distance or distance
at start
2. In a 100m race, If it is written ³X can give Y 20 m start´ or ³X beats Y by 20 m´, it means that
in the time X runs 100 m, Y runs 80 m. 20 meter here can be called as beat distance called as
beat distance.
3. Similarly, If it is written ³X can give Y 20 second start´ or ³X beats Y by 20 seconds´, it
means if the given distance is covered by X in a seconds, then Y will take (a ± 20)
4. Winner¶s distance ± (start distance + beat distance) = loser¶s distance
5. Winner¶s time + (start time + beat time) = loser¶s time. (Remember here that the winner¶s time
is less than loser¶s time, so something has to be added to equate)
6. A dead heat means the contestants reached the end point at same time

  Ram can give Hari 20 m start and Hari can give Ravi 10 m start in a race of 200 m.
By how much could Ram beat Hari in the same race?
Ram can give Hari a start of 20 m, that means in 200 meter race ram can cover 200 meters in the
same time as Hari covers 180 meters.
Hari can give Ravi a start of 10 m, which means in 200 meter race Ravi can cover 200 meters in
the same time as Hari covers 190 meters.
From second point, Ravi can cover 1 meter, when Hari covers 190/200 meters
Also, Ravi can cover 180 meter,
When Hari covers × 180 = 171 meters
Also when Ravi covers 180 meters, Ram covers 200 meters, and in this time Hair covers 171
meters, therefore Ram can give Hari a start distance of 29 meters.
Circular races: In circular races, the race is in a perfect circle. Here are some important points on
circular races, with two or more people starting from same starting point and at same time:
1. The time taken by the faster one to gain one full round over the other is (length of race
course)/ (relative speed)

  Ravi and Ram run around a circular path of circumference 1000 meters. Ravi runs at
4 m/s and Ram runs at 2 m/s. If they start from the same point and walk in the same direction,
when will they be first together again?
Ravi¶s speed = 4 m/s, Ram¶s speed = 2 m/s
Relative speed = 2 m/s
They will be together again when faster gains full circle over the slower
Therefore time to gain full circle = 1000/2 = 500 seconds
2. They will be first together at the starting point again after an interval of time which is the
LCM of the times in which each of them makes one complete round.

 # Ravi and Ram run around a circular path of circumference 1000 meters. Ravi runs
at 4 m/s and Ram runs at 2 m/s. If they start from the same point and walk in the same direction.
When will they be first together again at the starting point?
Ravi¶s speed = 4 m/s, Ram¶s speed = 2 m/s
Time taken for Ravi to complete one lap
= 1000/4 = 250 seconds
Time taken for Ravi to complete one lap
= 1000/2 = 500 seconds
They will be together again at the starting point
= LCM of 250 and 500
This is 500 seconds.
3. The persons will be together again for the first time at the time which is the LCM of the times
taken by the fastest to gain a lap over the others. This is a universal formula for any number of
people running.

  Ravi, Bhuvan and Ram run around a circular path of circumference 1000 meters.
Ravi runs at 4 m/s, Bhuvan runs at 6 m/s and Ram runs at 2 m/s. If they start from the same point
and walk in the same direction. When will they be first together again?
Ravi¶s speed = 4 m/s, Bhuvan¶s speed = 6 m/s, Ram¶s speed = 2 m/s
Time taken for Bhuvan to gain a lap over Ravi
= 1000 /6 - 4 = 500 seconds
Time taken for Bhuvan to gain a lap over Ram
= 1000/6 - 2= 250 seconds
Time taken for Ravi to gain a lap over Ram
= 1000/4 - 2 = 500 seconds
They will be together again = LCM of 500, 250 and 500, which is 500

$-2$*3)-(
The dial of a clock or watch is a circle whose circumference is divided into 60 equal parts (called
minute spaces), all the hands of clock which are second, minute and hour hands travel along this
circumference. Here are some important learning¶s on clocks:
1. In the clock, the larger hand (minute hand) moves 60 minute spaces, the smaller hand (hour
hand) moves only 5 minute spaces, which is completion of an hour.
2. In each minute space the hour hand travels, the minute hand travels 12 minutes; this is the
most important concept in clocks.
3. When the two hands are at right angles, they are 15 minute spaces apart. This happens twice
every hour.
4. When the hands are in opposite directions, they are 30 minute spaces apart. This happens once
every hour.
5. The hands are in the same straight line when they are coincident or opposite to each other.
6. If both the hands start moving together from the same position, both the hands will coincide
after
= 65 minutes.
7. In case of incorrect clocks, the clocks either gain time or loose time

 The time in a clock is 20 minute past 2. Find the angle between the hands of the
clock.
Here the hour hand is close to 2 and the minute hand is at 4, the angle between 2 and 4 is × 2 =
60 degrees. Angle made by the hour hand in one hour is 360/12 = 30 degrees, Angle made in 20
minutes = 30/3 = 10.
Therefore, required angle = 60 ± 10 = 50 degrees



c

 Ram and Ravi are 100 km apart and started to walk towards each other at 10 am. Ram
walked at the rate of 5 km/hr and Ravi at 10 km/hr. at what time will they meet?
 Relative speed = 5 + 10 = 15 km/hr

Time to walk 100 km = 100/15 = 6.66 hours, which is 6 hours and 40 min (approx)
As they started at 10 am, therefore they meet after
10 + 6 hours and 40 min = 4:40 pm

 Hari runs after Sam who is 200 m ahead of him. If speed of Hari is 15 km/hr and that of Sam
is 10 km/hr, what will be the distance covered by Hari when he catches Sam?
 Relative speed = 15 × 10 = 5 km/hr
Distance to be covered = 200 m = .2 km
Time taken = = 0.04 hrs
Distance covered = 15 × 0.04 = 0.6 km = 600 meters

  Two trains, 200 and 160 meters long take a minute to cross each other while traveling in the
same direction and take only 10 seconds when they cross in opposite directions. What are the
speeds at which the trains are traveling?
Ans. Distance covered (sum of lengths of the train)
= 200 + 160 = 360 meters.
Let Train 1 be traveling at X m/sec and Train 2 be traveling at Y m/sec. (considering X > Y)
Now while traveling in same direction Time =
Therefore 60 = , 60X ± 60Y = 360
Now while traveling in opposite direction Time
=
Therefore 10 = , 10X +10Y = 360
Solving the two equations X = 21 m/sec
Y = 15 m/sec

!A train traveling at 72 km/hr crosses a platform in 30 seconds and a man standing on the
platform in 18 seconds. What is the length of the platform in meters?
 Students may recall from the theory of the chapter, When the train crosses a man standing
on a platform, the distance covered by the train is equal to the length of the train and when the
same train crosses a platform, the distance covered by the train is equal to the length of the train
plus the length of the platform.
Train takes 18 seconds to cross a man, which is basically to cover length of the train
Train takes 30 seconds to cross the platform, which is to cover length of the train and length of
the platform. Therefore the extra 12 seconds are to cover the length of the platform. Therefore
Length of platform
=72x12/3600 = 0.24 km = 240 meter.

" Two trains starting from the same station and traveling in opposite directions are 228 km
apart in 3 hours. Had they been traveling in same direction they would have been 33 km apart in
the same time. What are their speeds?
 They are 228 km apart in 3 hrs traveling in opposite direction
In one hour they will be 228/3 = 76 km = Sum of speeds of two trains
Assume speeds to be X km/hr and Y km/hr
Therefore X + Y = 76 km/hr
In the other case X ± Y = 33/3 = 11 km/hr
Solving X = 43.5 km/hr, Y = 32.5 Km/hr

 Two trains traveling in the opposite directions pass each other in 8 seconds. But when they
travel in same direction at the same rates, the man in the faster train passes the other in 30
seconds. Find the lengths of the trains when their speeds are 45 km/hr and 35 km/hr.
Ans. When trains travel in opposite direction,
Time = L1+L2 /X+Y
Therefore, 8/3600 = L1+L2/45+35
Lengths of train, L1 + L2 = 0.17778 km
= 177.78 meter
When trains travel in same direction, the man in the faster train passes the other in 30 seconds,
the man only passes the length of the smaller train.
Therefore distance traveled by trains in 30 seconds = length of the smaller train
Relative speed = 45 ± 35 = 10 km/hr
Distance traveled = × 10
= 0.08334 km = 83.34 meter
Therefore length of longer train
= 177.78 ± 83.34
= 94.44 meters

Two trains 150 miles distant travel towards each other along the same track, the first train at
60 km/hr, the second at 90 km/hr. A fly buzzes back and forth between the two trains until they
collide. If the fly¶s speed is 110km/hr, how far will it travel and how many rounds will it take?
. Since the trains start 150 km apart and have a relative speed of 90 + 60 = 150 km/hr, they
will meet in exactly 1 hour. The bird is flying at a speed of 110 km/hr, so in 1 hour it flies 110
km. The interesting part remains the number of rounds, which actually is an interesting physics
problem with a infinite series being formed and the answer is infinity.

 Two trains A and B each of length 100m travel in opposite directions in parallel tracks. The
speeds are 20m/s and 30m/s respectively. A boy sitting in the front end of train A throws a ball to
a boy sitting in the front end of train B when they are at the closest distance. The speed of the
ball is 2m/s. The ball, instead of reaching the boy, hits the rear end of the train. Find the distance
between the parallel tracks.
 The boy throws the ball when trains are at closest distance, which is when front ends of
trains meet; therefore boy throws perpendicular to the train, in line with the distance between the
tracks.
Suppose from the time ball leaves boy¶s hands to hitting the train¶s rear is T
In this time T, Train A has traveled 20T
Train B has traveled 30T
Since ball hits the rear of train B, with length of trains being 30T + 20 T = 100, therefore T = 2
seconds
Since the ball travels at 2 m/s, and ball hitting the other train means that ball has traveled the
distance between two tracks, assuming distance between tracks is D
Therefore 2T = D, D = 4 meters

 Ram and Mohan start at the same time from A to B to go to B and A, a distance of 42 km at
the rates of 4 km/hr and 3 km/hr. They meet at X, then go to B and A and return immediately and
meet again at Y. find the distance XY
 First Ram and Mohan meet at X, Distance = 42 km
First Ram and Mohan meet at Y,
Distance = 42 × 3 = 126 km
Speed of Ram = 4 km/hr,
Speed of Mohan = 3 km/hr
Ram travels AX distance and Mohan BX
Relative speed = 4 + 3 = 7 km/hr
Time when they meet first = 42/7 = 6 hrs
In 6 hrs Ram travels 6 × 4 = 24 km = AX
Therefore Mohan travels = 42 ± 24 = 18 = BX
Time when they meet second = 126/7 = 18 hrs
In 18 hrs Ram travels 18 × 4 = 72 km
= AX + XB + BY
Since AX + XB = 42, BY = 30 and AY = 12
Since AX = 24, and AY = 12. XY = 12 km

# There are two boats that start out on opposite sides of a river at the same time. Each one is
heading across the river to the other side. They each go a constant speed throughout the entire
problem (so ignore having to slow down to turn around, and ignore current, etc.), but they are not
necessarily the same speed as each other. When each boat reaches its opposite bank, it
immediately turns around and heads back to where it started. The boats thus pass each other
twice. The first time they pass, they are 700 yards from one of the banks of the river. The second
time they pass, they have each turned around after reaching their respective opposite shores and
have started back toward where they each began. When they pass the second time, they are 300
yards from the other bank of the river. How wide is the river?
 Assume total distance = X, and speeds of boats being S1 and S2 when the two boats meet
for the first time,
Distance travel by boat I, D1 = 700 yards
Distance travel by boat II, D2 = X ± 700 yards
Here Time is the same, therefore
T = D1/S1 and T = D2/S2
Therefore D1/S1 = D2/S2
AlsoD1/S1 = D2/S2 = 700 /700-x

Now, Boat I then continues on to the bank, which is (X ± 700) yards away, and then it turns
around and goes back 300 yards. After the first meeting, boat I travels (X ± 700) + 300, which is
(X ± 400) yards. After the first meeting Boat II travels 700 yards to the bank and then turns
around and travels back (X ± 300) yards, which is (X + 400) yards, where it then meets Boat I
again.
When the two boats meet for the second time after first meeting,
Distance travel by boat I, D1 = X ± 400 yards
Distance travel by boat II, D2 = X + 400 yards
Here Time is the same, therefore
T = D1/S1 and T = D2/S2
Therefore D1/S1 = D2/S2
Also = X - 400/X+400=

Solving X = 1800 meters

 Ravi can swim with the stream at the rate of 10 km/hr and 5 km/hr against the stream; find
his speed in still water.
 Upstream speed = 10 km/hr, Downstream speed is 5 km/hr
Using direct formula 1/2 (10 + 5) = 7.5 km/hr

 Hari swims 20 km downstream a river in 5 hours and returns in 10 hours. What is his speed
and speed of the stream?
Speed downstream
= 20/5 = 4 km/hr
= Speed of Hari + Speed of stream
Speed downstream
= 20/10 = 2 km/hr
= Speed of Hari ± Speed of stream
From the two equations speed of Hari = 3 km/hr
Therefore speed of stream = 4 ± 3 = 1 km/hr
  A boat travels from point A to point B upstream and returns from point B to point A
downstream. If the round trip takes the boat 5 hours and the distance between point A and point
B is 120 km and the speed of the stream is 10 km/hr, what is the speed of the boat? 
Total distance = 120 × 2 = 240, Total time = 5hrs
Average speed = 240/5 = 48 km/hr
Assuming speed of boat = X
Speed downstream
= Speed of Boat + Speed of stream
= X + 10
Speed downstream
= Speed of Boat ± Speed of stream
= X ± 10
Since average speed = 48, and using formula of average speed
48 =
Solving for X, X = 50 km/hr

! Mohan can beat Ravi by 50 m in a 1700 m race; Ravi can beat Shyam by 20 m in a 1700 m
race. If Mohan and Shyam run 1700 m, by how much will Mohan win?
 The students should be able to do this faster using simple logic:
Mohan can beat Ravi by 50 m, Mohan travels 1700, when Ravi travels 1650
Ravi can beat Shyam by 20m, Ravi travels 1700, when Shyam travels 1680
Therefore when Ravi travels 1 Shyam travels
Therefore when Ravi travels 1650 Shyam travels 1680/1700
1680/1700 × 1650 = 1630.5
Mohan beats Shyam by 1700 ± 1630.5 = 69.5 meters

" In a kilometer race, A can give B a start of 100 m or 15 seconds. How long does A take to
complete the race? 
 In a 1000 meter race A gives B a start of 100 m or 15 seconds. This means that B takes 15
seconds to run 100 m. Therefore, B will take 150 seconds to run the stretch of 1000 meters. As A
takes 15 seconds less than B, he will take 135 seconds to run the 1000 m.