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CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Mathematics and Statistics · Time and Distance

A goods train 300 m long crosses a platform in 36 seconds and crosses a signal post in 18 seconds. What is the length of the platform?

The platform is 300 m long. The train covers its own 300 m in 18 seconds, so in 36 seconds it covers 600 m, which equals train plus platform. Subtracting the train length of 300 m leaves a platform length of 300 m.

  1. A150 m
  2. B300 mCorrect
  3. C450 m
  4. D600 m

Explanation

Crossing the signal post: speed = 300/18 = 50/3 m/s. Crossing the platform covers train length plus platform length in 36 s: distance = 50/3 × 36 = 600 m. Platform = 600 − 300 = 300 m. Answering 600 m forgets to subtract the train's own length.

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