Difference between revisions of "2014 AMC 8 Problems/Problem 17"

(Solution)
(Solution)
Line 4: Line 4:
 
<math>\textbf{(A) }4\qquad\textbf{(B) }6\qquad\textbf{(C) }8\qquad\textbf{(D) }10\qquad \textbf{(E) }12</math>
 
<math>\textbf{(A) }4\qquad\textbf{(B) }6\qquad\textbf{(C) }8\qquad\textbf{(D) }10\qquad \textbf{(E) }12</math>
 
==Solution==
 
==Solution==
Note that on a normal day, it takes him <math>1/3</math> hour to get to school. However, today it took <math>\frac{1/2 \text{ mile}}{2 \text{ mph}}=1/4</math> hour to walk the first <math>1/2</math> mile. That means that he has <math>1/3 -1/4 = 1/12</math> hours left to get to school, and <math>1/2</math> mile left to go. Therefore, his speed must be <math>\frac{1/2 \text{ mile}}{1/12 \text {hour}}=\boxed{6 \text{ mph}}</math>, and we are done.
+
Note that on a normal day, it takes him <math>1/3</math> hour to get to school. However, today it took <math>\frac{1/2 \text{ mile}}{2 \text{ mph}}=1/4</math> hour to walk the first <math>1/2</math> mile. That means that he has <math>1/3 -1/4 = 1/12</math> hours left to get to school, and <math>1/2</math> mile left to go. Therefore, his speed must be <math>\frac{1/2 \text{ mile}}{1/12 \text { hour}}=\boxed{6 \text{ mph}}</math>, and we are done.
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==

Revision as of 23:02, 27 November 2014

Problem

George walks $1$ mile to school. He leaves home at the same time each day, walks at a steady speed of $3$ miles per hour, and arrives just as school begins. Today he was distracted by the pleasant weather and walked the first $\frac{1}{2}$ mile at a speed of only $2$ miles per hour. At how many miles per hour must George run the last $\frac{1}{2}$ mile in order to arrive just as school begins today?

$\textbf{(A) }4\qquad\textbf{(B) }6\qquad\textbf{(C) }8\qquad\textbf{(D) }10\qquad \textbf{(E) }12$

Solution

Note that on a normal day, it takes him $1/3$ hour to get to school. However, today it took $\frac{1/2 \text{ mile}}{2 \text{ mph}}=1/4$ hour to walk the first $1/2$ mile. That means that he has $1/3 -1/4 = 1/12$ hours left to get to school, and $1/2$ mile left to go. Therefore, his speed must be $\frac{1/2 \text{ mile}}{1/12 \text { hour}}=\boxed{6 \text{ mph}}$, and we are done.

See Also

2014 AMC 8 (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 16
Followed by
Problem 18
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
All AJHSME/AMC 8 Problems and Solutions

The problems on this page are copyrighted by the Mathematical Association of America's American Mathematics Competitions. AMC logo.png