Cheat Sheets – Time, Speed and Distance

The basic relationship between Time, Speed and Distance is given by these formulae.
𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
Speed= 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒

Unit of measurements

Time Seconds, Minutes, or Hours

Speed Metre/second, Kilometres/hour, Miles/hour
Distance Metres, Kilometres, Miles, Yard

Conversions of units
● 1 hour = 60 minutes = 3600 seconds
● 1 kilometres = 1000 metres = 0.6214 miles
● 1 miles = 1.609 km
● 1 yard = 3 feet
● Km/hr = 5/18 m/s
● m/s = 18/5 km/hr
● km/hr = 5/8 miles/hr

Relations of dependence between Time, Speed and Distance

Speed= Distance
Time

▪ When Distance is constant then S α 1/T i.e. S1T1 = S2T2

▪ When Speed is constant, then D α S i.e. D1S2 = D2S1
▪ When Time is constant, then D α T i.e. D1T2 = D2T1

Average Speed

Average Speed = Total Distance

Total Time

Travelling at a speed, Mean Average Speed

where the following are
constant:
Time Arithmetic Mean (a+b)/2
Distance Harmonic Mean 2ab/(a+b)

Where, a and b represent the speed at which one travels.

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 Cheat Sheets – Time, Speed and Distance

RELATIVE SPEED

Case 1: Two bodies are moving in opposite directions at speed V1 & V2, respectively. The
relative speed is defined as, Vr =V1+V2
Case 2: Two bodies are moving in the same directions at speed, V1 & V2 respectively. The
relative speed is defined as Vr =|V1−V2|

TRAINS

Time taken by train while crossing Formula

the following:
1. A stationary man or a pole 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠

2. Platform or a stationary object of 𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 + 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚 𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 (𝑦)
length (y) 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛

3. Trains moving in the same
direction, where S1 & S2 are the
speed of the trains
4. Trains moving in the opposite
direction, where S1 & S2 are the
speed of the trains
𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 1 + 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 2
𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠 (𝑆1 − 𝑆2)
𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 1 + 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 2
𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠 (𝑆1 + 𝑆2)

BOATS & STREAM

Downstream/Upstream:
In water, the direction along the stream is called downstream and the direction against the
stream is called upstream.

If the speed of a boat in still water is u km/hr and the speed of the stream is v km/hr,
then:
▪ Speed downstream = (u + v) km/hr
▪ Speed upstream = (u - v) km/hr.
▪
If the speed downstream is a km/hr and the speed upstream is b km/hr, then:
▪ Speed in still water = 1⁄2 (a+b) km/hr
▪ Rate of stream = 1⁄2 (a-b) km/hr

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Cheat Sheets – Time, Speed and Distance
RACES

Races: A contest of speed in running, riding, driving, sailing or rowing is called a race.
▪ The point from where a race starts is called the starting point.
▪ The point where the race finishes is called finishing point or winning point.
▪ The winner can beat the loser by t seconds or metres
i.e. Beat distance = metres and Beat time = t seconds

Dead Heat Race: If all the persons contesting a race reach the goal exactly at the same time,
the race is said to be a dead heat race.
Important concept:
▪ Winner distance = Length of the race
▪ If the race ends in dead heat, beat time = 0 and beat distance =0
▪ Distance covered by the loser = Winner’s distance – (Beat distance + Start distance)
▪ Time taken by the winner = Time taken by loser – (Beat time + Start time)

CIRCULAR MOTION

Type of Questions Formula

1.Time to meet at the starting point
2. Time to meet for the 1st time
anywhere on the track
3. Number of points at which the
runner meets.
Step 1. Time taken by every individual to run
one complete round at their respective speed.
Step 2. Then, LCM of these time
Length of the track / Relative Speed
The time of their first meeting at the starting
point divided by the time to meet for the 1st
time anywhere on the track

PRACTICE EXCERCISE

1. A truck covers 80kms in 5 hours. What is the distance covered by the same truck in 6
hours?
A. 94 km
B. 95 km
C. 96 km
D. 97 km

2. Amit covers a certain distance at 56km/hr to reach his office from his home and returns
to his home from the office at a speed of 46km/hr. Find the average speed for his entire
journey.
A. 50.5 km/hr
B. 51 km/hr
C. 51.52 km/hr
D. 53 km/hr

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Cheat Sheets – Time, Speed and Distance

3. How much time does a 178 metres long train running at a speed of 75km/hr take to cross
a platform 198 metre long?
A. 16 sec
B. 18 sec
C. 20 sec
D. 22 sec

4. A ship can travel 45 km downstream and 15 km upstream at the same time. The speed of
the ship at the still water is 25km/hr then what is the speed of the stream?
A. 12.5 km/hr
B. 10.5 km/hr
C. 15.3 km/hr
D. 15.5 km/hr

5. In a race of 1 km, Rahul beats Sonali by 26 metres or by 6 seconds. Find Rahul’s time over
the course.
A. 6.6 minutes
B. 5.5 minutes
C. 4.7 minutes
D. 3.7 minutes

SOLUTIONS:
1. Option C
Speed = Distance /Time
Speed = 80 /5
= 16 km/hr
Now distance covered in 6 hours at the speed of 16 km/hr
Distance = Time x Speed
= 6 x 16
= 96 kms

2. Option A
Average speed = 2 ab/a+b
Where a and b are the speed.
Using the above formula
2×56×46
Average Speed = 56+46

5152
= 102
= 50.50 km/hr

3. Option B
𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛+𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚 𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 (𝑦)
Time taken = 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛
= (178 + 198)/75 x (5/18)
= 376/75 x (5/18)

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Cheat Sheets – Time, Speed and Distance
= 18.08 sec
= 18 sec (approx.)

4. Option A
Let the speed of the stream be x km/hr
Then,
Speed downstream = (25 + x) km/hr
Speed upstream = (25 – x)
45 /(25 + x) = 15 / (25-x)
45 (25 - x) = 15 (25 + x)
1125 - 45x = 375 + 15x
60 x = 750
x= 12.5 km/hr

5. Option D
Here, Sonali covers 26 metres in 6 seconds
Therefore, Sonali times over the course = (6/26 x 1000)sec = 230.76 sec
Rahul’s time over the course = (230.76 – 6) = 223.76 seconds
= 223.76/60 min
= 3.7 minutes

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