Difference between revisions of "2002 AMC 10A Problems/Problem 12"

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== Problem ==
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#redirect [[2002 AMC 12A Problems/Problem 11]]
 
 
Mr. Bird gets up every day at 8:00 AM to go to work. If he drives at an average speed of 40 miles per hour, he will be late by 3 minutes. If he drives at an average speed of 60 miles per hour, he will be early by 3 minutes. How many miles per hour does Mr. Bird need to drive to get to work exactly on time?
 
 
 
<math>\text{(A)}\ 45 \qquad \text{(B)}\ 48 \qquad \text{(C)}\ 50 \qquad \text{(D)}\ 55 \qquad \text{(E)} 58</math>
 
 
 
 
 
==Solution==
 
===Solution 1===
 
Let the time he needs to get there in be t and the distance he travels be d. From the given equations, we know that <math>d=\left(t+\frac{1}{20}\right)40</math> and <math>d=\left(t-\frac{1}{20}\right)60</math>. Setting the two equal, we have <math>40t+2=60t-2</math> and we find <math>t=\frac{1}{4}</math> of an hour. Substituting t back in, we find <math>d=12</math>. From <math>d=rt</math>, we find that r, and our answer, is <math>\boxed{\text{(B)}\ 48 }</math>.
 
 
 
===Solution 2===
 
Since either time he arrives at is 3 minutes from the desired time, the answer is merely the [[harmonic mean]] of 40 and 60. The harmonic mean of a and b is <math>\frac{2}{\frac{1}{a}+\frac{1}{b}}=\frac{2ab}{a+b}</math>. In this case, a and b are 40 and 60, so our answer is <math>\frac{4800}{100}=48</math>, so <math>\boxed{\text{(B)}\ 48}</math>.
 
 
 
==See Also==
 
{{AMC10 box|year=2002|ab=A|num-b=11|num-a=13}}
 
 
 
[[Category:Introductory Algebra Problems]]
 

Latest revision as of 15:55, 18 February 2009