Professional Documents
Culture Documents
l Introduction
l Motion or movement
l Conversion kmph (kilometer per hour) to m/s
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INTRODUCTION
For a CAT aspirant, a problem on time, speed and distance means
solving complex situation with the help of many equations. Ability
to solve the problems of this chapter depends only on the depth
of your understanding of this chapter. Concepts of this chapters
are used in solving questions based on motion in a straight line,
relative motion, circular motion, train and boat etc. In CAT and
other equivalent aptitude tests, each year 2 to 4 questions are
generally asked. So this chapter is very important from the point
of view of CAT and other equivalent aptitude tests.
MOTION OR MOVEMENT
When a body changes its position with respect to any external
stationary body then it is said that the body is in motion or the
body is moving with respect to the stationary body. Thus when
a body travels from one place to another place, we say that the
body is in motion or the body is moving. To move from a point
A to another point B situated at a distance (D) from the point A
with some speed (S) by a body takes some time (T ).
Speed is defined as the rate at which distance is covered
during the motion. It is measured in terms of distance per unit
time. Unit of speed may have any combination of unit of distance
and unit of time in the numrator and denominator respectively.
For example unit of speed can be metre/sec, km/hour, metre/min.,
km/min., km/day, km/sec, feet/sec, miles/hr etc.
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The relation between speed (S), distance (D) and time (T) is
given below :
Distance = Speed Time
or,
Speed Time = Distance i.e. S T = D
In the above relation, the unit used for measuring the distance
(D) covered during the motion and the unit of time (T ) i.e.
duration to cover the distance (D) will be the same as in numerator
and denominator respectively of the unit used for the speed.
1 km
1000 m
5m
5
=
=
=
m/s
1 hr 60 60 sec 18 sec 18
5x
m/s and vice-versa x
18
18 x
18 x
kmph or
km/h
m/s =
5
5
5
i.e. to convert km/hr to m/sec, multiply by
and to convert
18
18
m/sec to km/hr multiply by
.
5
Illustration 1: Convert 90 km/h into m/s.
5
Solution: 90 km/h = 90
= 25 m/s.
18
x kmph =
2
Illustration 2: The driver of a Maruti car driving at the speed
of 68 km/h locates a bus 40 metres ahead of him. After 10
seconds, the bus is 60 metres behind. The speed of the bus is
(a) 30 km/h
(b) 32 km/h
(c) 25 km/h
(d) 38 km/h
Solution: (b) Let speed of Bus = SB km/h.
Now, in 10 sec., car covers the relative distance
= (60 + 40) m = 100 m
100
= 10 m/s
Relative speed of car =
10
18
= 10 = 36 km / h
5
68 SB = 36
S = 32 km/h
t1 d1
=
t2 d 2
s2 md 2
s1 d1
=
s2 d 2
50 270
=
60 d 2
5d2 = 270 6
270 6
= 324 kms.
5
Hence distance of Ludhiana from Delhi = 324 kms.
Illustration 5:A cyclist goes to the post-office from his
village at 12 km/h and reaches the post-office 15 minutes
before 10 a.m. When he goes to the post-office from his village at
10 km/h, reaches the post-office 30 minutes after 10 a.m. Find
the distance of the post-office from the village of the cyclist.
Solution: Since the distance of the post-office from the village
of the cyclist is constant. Therefore
s1t1 = s2t2
15 30
3
+
= t1 +
Here
s1 = 12 km/h, t2 = t1 +
60 60
4
s2 = 10 km/h, t1 = ?
d2 =
12 t1 = 10 t1 +
4
4t + 3
6 t1 = 5 1
15
hrs
4
Distance = Speed Time
15
= 12
= 45 kms
4
Hence distance of the district centre = 45 kms.
Illustration 6: A man travels 120 km by ship, 450 km by rail
and 60 km by horse taking altogether 13 hrs 30 min. The speed
of the train is 3 times that of the horse and 1 times that of
the ship. Find the speed of the train.
4 t1 = 15 t1 =
3
Solution: If the speed of the horse is x km/hr, that of the train is
3x
3x and that of the ship is 1 = 2x km/hr
1 2
120 450 60 27
+
+
=
2x
3x
x
2
270 27
60 150 60 27
+
+
=
=
,
x
2
x
x
x
2
x = 20 Speed of the train = 60 km/hr.
AVERAGE SPEED
Average speed is defined as the ratio of total distance covered to
the total time taken by an object i.e.
Total distance travelled
Average speed =
Total time taken
If an object travels d1, d2, d3, ..., dn distances with different
speeds s1, s2, s3, ..., sn in time t1, t2, t3, ..., tn respectively; then
average speed (Sa) is given by
Sa =
d1 + d 2 + d3 + ... + d n
t1 + t2 + t3 + ... + tn
... (1)
Time =
d3
d1
d2
d
, t2 =
, t3
, ..., t n = n
t1 = =
s1
s2
s3
sn
Hence from (1),
Sa =
d1 + d 2 + d3 + ... + d n
d
d1 d 2 d3
+
+
+ ... + n
s1 s2 s3
sn
Special Cases
In chapter of Averages, we studied that
(i) If with two different speeds s1 and s2 the same distance d
is covered, then
2s s
Average Speed = 1 2
s1 + s2
(ii) If with three different speeds s1, s2 and s3 the same distance
d is covered, then
3s1 s2 s3
Average Speed =
.
s1 s2 + s2 s3 + s3 s1
Illustration 7: A car moves 300 km at a speed of 45 km/h and
then it increases its speed to 60 km/h to travel another 500 km.
Find average speed of car.
Solution:
d + d2
300 + 500 800 160
=
=
=
Average speed = 1
d1 d 2 300 500
45
3
+
+
45
60
3
s1 s2
1
km/h
3
Illustration 8: A person goes to his office at 1/3rd of the speed
at which he returns from his office. Average speed during the
whole trip (i.e. one round) is 12 km/h. What is the speed of
the person while he was going to his office ?
Solution:Let
s2 = 3k, then s1 = k
2 s1 s2
Average speed =
s1 + s2
2 k 3k 3k
=
12 =
k + 3k
2
k=8
Hence required speed = 8 km/h.
Illustration 9: A covers 1/3rd of the journey at the speed of 10
km/h and half of the rest at the speed of 20 km/h and rest at
the speed of 30 km/h. What is the average speed of A ?
Solution:
Distance covered at 10 km/h = 1/3rd of the whole journey
1 1 1
Distance covered at 20 km/h = 1 = rd of the
3 2 3
whole journey
1 1 1
3 3 3
journey
Since the distances covered with each of the three given speeds
are the same, therefore
3s1 s2 s3
Average speed =
s1 s2 + s2 s3 + s3 s1
= 53
3 10 20 30
10 20 + 20 30 + 30 10
4
km/h.
11
Illustration 10:A man makes his upward journey at 16
km/h and downward journey at 28 km/h. What is his average speed ?
(a) 32 km/h
(b) 56 km/h
(c) 20.36 km/h
(d) 22 km/h
Solution: (c) Let the distance travelled during both upward and
down-ward journey be x km.
Total distance covered
Average speed =
Total time taken
x+x
2
=
=
x
x
28 + 16
+
16 28 28 16
2 28 16
= 20.36 km / h
=
44
= 16
(b) 30 km/h
(d) 20 km/h
4
Solution: (d) Let the average speed be x km/h. and total distance
= y km. then,
0.2
0.6
0.2
y
y+
y+
y=
10
30
20
x
1
= 20 km / h
x=
0.05
RELATIVE SPEED
Generally, when we talk about the speed of a body, we mean
the speed of the body with respect to a stationary point (or
object), which we have already discussed. In many cases,
we need to determine the speed of a body with respect to an
independent moving point (or body). In such cases, we have to take into
account the speed of the independent body with respect to which
we want to find the speed of another body.
The speed of a body 'A' with respect to an independent
moving body 'B' is called relative speed of the body A with respect
to the body 'B'.
60
5
Now
(Sy 40)
8
= 60
5
Sy = 77.5
Hence, required speed = 77.5 km/h.
Illustration 14: Two men A and B start from a place P walking
at 3 km and 3 kmph respectively. How many km apart will
they be at the end of 2 hours?
(i) If they walk in opposite directions ?
(ii) If they walk in the same direction ?
(iii) What time will they take to be 16 km apart if.
(a) they walk in opposite directions?
(b) in the same direction ?
Solution:
(i) When they walk in opposite directions, they will be
1
1
3 + 3 = 6 km apart in 1 hour.
2
2
1
1 5
1
hours they will be 6 = 16 km apart.
2 2
4
2
(ii) If they walk in the same direction, they will be
1
1
3 3 = km apart in 1 hour.
2
2
1
1 5
1
ln 2 hours they will be = 1 km apart.
2
2 2
4
(iii) Time to be 16 km apart while walking in opposite direc16
6
=2
tions =
hours.
1
13
3+3
2
But if they walk in the same direction, time
16
= 32 hours
=
1
3 3
3
ln 2
5
ninth meeting they have to cover together D + (8 2D)
= 17D units of distance. Thus, for the nth meeting they
have to cover together D + (n 1) 2D i.e. (2n 1) D
units of distance.
(c) At any point of time ratio of the distances covered by
the two bodies will be equal to the ratio of their speeds.
0 = 40 Deceleration
60
Deceleration = 480 km/h2
Note that after applying the brakes, the car is finally stopped,
hence we have taken the found speed of the car = 0
6
50
(i) When the train is crossing a moving object, the speed of the
train has to be taken as the relative speed with respect to the object.
A object B
75
Aw
Aw
3
75 Aw 3
=
Aw 50 2
:
:
50
2
Aw = 60
Situations
Q
The train just
start crossing
the object
Train
S
The train has
just crossed
the object
object
train
For object moving in opposite direction of the train,
Basic
Expended Form of
Expended Formulae
Formulae
Basic Formulae
in Symbolic Form
1.
When a train
Relative Speed Time
crossing a moving
= Distance
object with length
in opposite direction
(ST + S0) t =
Speed Speed Time taken by
Length Length
of the + of the the train to cross = of the + of the (LT + L0)
2.
When a train
Relative Speed Time
crossing a moving
= Distance
object with length
in the same direction
train object the moving object train object
3.
When a train
Relative Speed Time
crossing a moving
= Distance
object without length
like a man, a tree,
a pole, a point etc.
in opposite direction
4.
When a train
Relative Speed Time
crossing a moving
= Distance
object without length
in the same direction
5.
When a train
Speed Time
crossing a stationary = Distance
object with length
train object
train
(ST + S0) t = LT
(St S0) t = LT
ST t = LT + L0
7
S.
No.
6.
Situations
Basic
Expended Form of
Expended Formulae
Formulae
Basic Formulae
in Symbolic Form
When a train
Speed Time
crossing a stationary = Distance
object without length
Speed
Length
of the Time taken to cross = of the
train
train
ST t = LT
ST = Speed of the train, S0 = Speed of the object, LT = Length of the train, L0 = Length of the object, t = time taken by the train to cross the object
Distance = 110 m
Therefore, time taken in passing the men
110 18
= 6s
=
66 5
10 =
x = 30 km/h.
= 90 m/sec = 25 m/sec.
18
... (2)
1
1
= x and
=y
SB SS
SB + SS
8
Then
48x + 72y = 12
and
72x + 48y = 13
On adding (1) and (2),
5
120x + 120y = 25 x + y =
24
On subtracting (2) from (1),
1
24y 24x = 1 x y =
24
On adding (3) and (4),
... (1)
... (2)
... (3)
,,, (4)
1
1
x=
SB SS = 8
... (5)
4
8
On subtracting (4) from (3),
1
1
y=
2y =
SB + SS = 12
... (6)
6
12
Subtracting (5) from (6),
2 SS = 4 SS = 2
Hence speed of stream = 2 km /h.
Illustration 22: A motor boat takes 12 hours to go downstream
and it takes 24 hours to return the same distance. Find the
ratio of the speed of boat in still water to the speed of stream.
Solution:
Distance = Speed Time
Distance travelled in downstream
= Distance travelled in upstream
(SB + SS) 12 = (SB SS) 24
SB + SS = 2 SB 2 SS
2x =
3 SS = SB
SB 3
=
SB : SS = 3 : 1
SS 1
Now,
or
Required ratio = (5 + 1) : 5 = 6 : 5
Illustration 24: Vikas can row a certain distance downstream
in 6 hours and return the same distance in 9 hours. If the
stream flows at the rate of 3 km/h, find the speed of Vikas in
still water.
Solution:
By the formula,
3 (9 + 6)
Vikass speed in still water =
15 km/h
96
2. Dead Heat
When the runners reach the finishing line (or the final post) then
it is said that these runners finish (or end) the race in dead heat.
Some Useful Concepts
(i) When it is said that A can give B a startup x metre in y
metre race, then it means in y metre race B runs x metre
less than A in the same time.
(ii) When A beats B by t second in a race of y metre then
it means B is the loser and A is the winner and when A
reaches the finishing line, B is still some distance back to
A, from which B takes t seconds to cover the remaining
distance. Hence we can calculate the speed of loser B.
(iii) The ratio of speed of the runners is always maintained
throughout the race.
Illustration 25: In 2 km race A gives a startup of 300 m to
B. Despite this, A wins the race by 400 m. Find the ratio of
speed of A and B.
Solution: A and B covers 2000 m and 1300 m respectively in
same time intervals.
Since time period for both runners A and B are the same, hence
ratio of speeds of A and B = 2000 : 1300 = 20 : 13
Illustration 26: In a 2 km race A wins over B by 200 m or 20
seconds. B can give a startup 500 m to C in 2 km race. Find
out by how much time A will win over C?
Solution:
Ratio of speeds of A and B = 2000 : 1800 = 10 : 9
Ratio of speeds of B and C = 2000 : 1500 = 4 : 3
Ratio of speeds of A, B and C = 2000 : 1800 : 1350
200
= 10 m/s
Speed of B =
20
Speed of C = 7.5 m/s [ Ratio of speed of B to C = 4 :3]
Now C has to cover 650 m in extra time. Therefore, the time
650
taken by C to cover the remaining distance =
= 86.7 seconds.
7.5
Hence, required time = 1 minute 27 second (approx)
CIRCULAR MOTION
When two bodies start moving from a place on a circular track
simultaneously in the same direction, the faster body keeps increasing the distance by which the slower body is behind the faster
body. When the distance by which the faster body is in front of
the slower body becomes equal to the circumference of the track,
the faster body meets the slower body first time i.e. faster body
comes in line with the slower body.
9
(i) When two bodies are moving in the opposite directions, their
relative speed is equal to the sum of their individual speeds.
(ii) When two bodies are moving in the same direction, their
relative speed is equal to the difference of the speeds of
the two bodies.
First Meeting
(i) Let A and B are two runners.
Time taken by A and B to meet for the first time
Circumference of the circular Track
=
Relative speed
(ii) When there are more than two runners, suppose A is the
fastest runner and A meets B first time in time tAB, A meets
C first time in time tAC, A meets D first time in time tAD
and so on. Then time taken by all of them to meet for the
first time is the LCM of tAB, tAC, tAD , etc.
First Meeting at the Starting Point
Let A take, tA time, B takes tB time, C takes tC times and so on, to
complete one round, then the time taken to meet all the runners
for the first time at the starting point
= LCM of tA, tB, tC etc.
Illustration 27: The jogging track in a sports complex is 726
metres in circumference. Pradeep and his wife start from the
same point and walk in opposite directions at 4.5 km/h and
3.75 km/h, respectively. They will meet for the first time in
(a) 5.5 min
(b) 6.0 min
(c) 5.28 min
(d) 4.9 min
Solution: (c) Let the husband and the wife meet after x minutes
4500 metres are covered by Pradeep in 60 minutes.
4500
x metres.
In x minutes, he will cover
60
Similarly,
3750
x m.
In x minutes, his wife will cover
60
4500
3750
x+
x = 726
Now,
60
60
726 60
x=
= 5.28 min
8250
Illustration 28: A, B and C start running on a circular track
simultaneously from the same place of the circular track at
the speed of 30 m/s, 60 m/s and 40 m/s respectively in the same
direction. The circumference of the track is 1200 m.
(i) When will they be together again for the first time ?
(ii) When will they be together again for the first time at the
starting point?
Solution:
(i) Speed of B is more than speed of A and C.
Relative speed of B with respect to A = 60 30 = 30 m/s
Relative speed of B with respect to C = 60 40 = 20 m/s
1200
B meets A after every
= 40 seconds
30
1200
B meets C after every
= 60 seconds
20
1200
= 30 seconds
40
LCM of 40, 20 and 30 = 120
Hence A, B and C will meet first time at the starting point after
120 seconds i.e. 2 minutes.
=
Illustration 29: A and B run on a circular track of circumference 800 m in the opposite direction. Speeds of A and B
are 50 m/s and 30 m/s respectively. Initially A and B are diametrically opposite to each other.
(i) When will they meet for the first time ?
(ii) What is the ratio of distances covered by each one to
meet for the first time ?
Solution:
(i) Relative speed of A with respect to B = 50 + 30 = 80 m/s
Initially A and B are diametrically opposite to each other
means B is 400 m ahead of A in the race.
400
Time taken by A to meet B first time =
= 5s
80
(ii) To meet second time A and B have to cover 800 m
First
meeting point
Second
meeting point
800
= 10 seconds
80
CLOCKS
Problems on clocks are based on the movement of the minute
hand and hour hand. We consider the dial of a clock as a circular
track having a circumference of 60 km. minute hand and hour
hand are two runners running with the speed of 60 km/h and
5 km/hr respectively in the same direction. Hence relative speed
of minute hand with respect to hour hand is 55 km/h. This means
that for every hour elapsed, the minute hand goes 55 km more
than the hour hand.
10
12
Illustration 30: Between 5 O' clock and 6 O' clock, when hour
hand and minute hand of a clock overlap each other ?
Solution: At 5 O' clock, distance between tips of two hands
= 25 km
Relative speed = 55 km/h
Required time to overlap the two hands
25 km
5
= h
=
55 km / h 11
5 60
min
11
3 60
= 27 min +
sec
11
= 27 min + 16 sec.
= 27 minutes 16 seconds.
Illustration 31: Mrs. Veena Gupta goes for marketing between
5 P.M. and 6 P.M. When she comes back, she finds that the hour
hand and the minute hand have interchanged their positions.
For how much time was she out of her house ?
Solution: Since two hands are interchange their positions, so sum
of the angles subtended at the centre by hour hand and minute
hand = 360
Let us suppose that she was out of house
for 't ' minutes.
So, the sum of the angles subtended at the
centre by the hour hand and minute hand =
(0.5 t) + (6t)
0.5t + 6t = 360