Tutorial on Algebra 1 ---Rate equation

There are many problems involving rate or speed of something and time for a
given task.The rate is expressed as speed ---miles per hour or kilometer per
hour of your car; or rate of somthing that flows---rate of flow of water or
gasoline ....Such problems are used in every day life and finds importance in
Algebra1.

1 Consider the simple problem: John drives his car at 55 miles per hour speed
and drives for 2hours from Sacromento. How far does he travel in that time?

Distance travelled : D = 55 x 2 = 110 miles.

Note the units used. Since we used miles per hour for rate. we get the answer in
miles.
Now we can see the equation in a general form:

D = RxT where R is the rate [speed] and T is the

time.We c
We can use for time -- hours or minutes or seconds, but it must match with the
time used in rate.

2. Take this example. John wants to fill the gas tank in his car at the gas
station.The total volume of the tank is 24 gallons. If the gas pump delivers 3
gallons per minute,how much time it will take for John to fill the tank with 24
gallons.
Here, instead of distance traveled ,we have the volume of tank to fill--- V = 24
gallons.
Rate of filling R = 3 Gallons per minute.
Find the time T.

V=RxT
Therefore
T = V / R = 24 / 3 = 8 minutes.
It takes 8 minutes to fill the tank.

3. Consider another example > . A small electrical pump fills an overhead

tank with water in

20 minutes.The volume of the tank is 300 gallons. Find the rate of pumping
water.

V=RxT

300 = R x 20

R = 300 / 20 = 15 gallons per minute.

Many interesting problems use this simple formula " D = R x T " in elegant ways.
Consider this problem.
4 John starts from Sacromento to San Francisco at 9 AM in a motor bike and
does a speed of 60 miles per hour. Mike leaves San Francisco at the same time
in his car towards Sacromento at a speed of 50 miles an hour. The distance
between the two cities is 220 miles.Find the time when they will meet each other
on the road.

This problem appears complicated, but it is really simple. Let the time taken
for them to travel and meet be T.
Since they both drive for the same time, distance travelled by John , X = R x T;
R = 60 ;
distance travelled by Mike = Y = R x T , but now R = 50;
The total distance of both together is X + Y = 220 miles.
X = 60 x T
Y = 50 x T
Total X + Y = 220 miles
220 = 60 T + 50 T
= 110 T
T = 220/110 = 2 hours.
Note that they meet at a distance of x from Sacromento. X = 60 x 2 = 120
miles from Sacromento
Y from San Francisco = 50 x 2 = 100 miles.
Of course X + Y = 100 + 120 = 220 mies the total distance.

5. Consider another problem with relative speeds.

Jean rides a bicycle at the rate of 10 miles per hour. Sarah rides a motor bike
at 40 miles an hour.Jean starts early at 8 AM inthe bicycle. Sarah goes on the
same route ,but starts at 10 AM, that is 2 hours late.When the two will meet?
Let the time of their meeting be T hours from 8 AM.
Jean has been riding for a time of T-8 hours.Distance travelled = D = R
xT
D = 10 x ( T )
Sarah starts late and has been travelling for ( T - 2) hours, but the distance
travelled is the same when they meet.
D = 40 x ( T - 2)

Let us solve this equation for T: 40 T - 80 = 10 T

40 T - 10 T = 80
30 T = 80
T = 8/3 = 2.6 hours or 2 hours a nd 36
minutes
The distance from their starting point = 10 x T = 26.36 miles.

6 Rate and work problems: People do work at different rates...some work fast
,and some are slow. John takes 4 hours to mow a large lawn of 5000 square
feet.James would mow the same lawn in 5 hours.How much time they will take to
mow the lawn together?

Let us find the rate of working of these two guys: R for John = 5000/4 = 1250
square feet per hour.
R for James = 5000/5 = 1000 square feet per hour.
Together they will mow (1250 + 1000) square feet per hour;
R combined = 2250 square feet /hour
Using this R, find the time for their working together:
5000 = 2250 x T

0r T = 5000/2250 = 2.22 hours

Note that when they both work together,it takes only 2.22 or 2 hours and 13
minutes.
[It is not correct to take the average of 4 and 5 hours and take the time as 4.5
hours]

Some exercises for You:

1 John would take 6 days to paint his house walls. Angelina would take 8 days
to do the same painting work .The area of walls to be painted is nearly 10000
square feet.Find the time if they both work together.
2 James takes 30 minutes to load 100 cartons into a truck. Rick takes only 25
mintues to do the same job. James is paid $ 6 per hour. Rick is paid $10 per
hour.Find who is more 'cheaper' to hire.

Summary: There are many practical problems involving rate and time, but the
basic equation to use is simply : D = R T
Be careful to match the units used in rate with the time measure taken. Express
the final result in proper units.
You can create some more interesting problems--do send it to me by email!
Contact me at my email ID if you need clarification or some help.