CMA Foundation · Fundamentals of Business Mathematics and Statistics · Time and Distance
A train 200 m long passes a man walking at 6 km/h in the same direction as the train in 20 seconds. What is the speed of the train?
The train's speed is 42 km/h. It covers its own length of 200 m in 20 seconds relative to the man, a relative speed of 10 m/s or 36 km/h. As the man walks the same way at 6 km/h, the train's speed is 36 + 6 = 42 km/h.
- A30 km/h
- B36 km/h
- C42 km/hCorrect
- D48 km/h
Explanation
Relative speed = 200 m / 20 s = 10 m/s = 10 × 18/5 = 36 km/h. Since the man moves in the same direction, relative speed = train speed − 6, so the train speed = 36 + 6 = 42 km/h. Choosing 36 km/h ignores the man's speed, and 30 km/h subtracts instead of adding.
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