Colliding trains

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A train is moving from station A to station B at 15 mph. Another train is moving in the opposite direction from station B to A at a speed of 20mph. A vulture is flying from Station A to station B at 25 mph. When the vulture reaches at the train moving from Station B to A, it starts flying back and flies at the same speed till it reaches the train moving from station A to B and starts flying in the reverse direction again. The vulture keeps flying to and fro till both the trains collide with each other.

What is the total distance that is traveled by the vulture?

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  • 1 Answer(s)

    To solve this question, we will have to use the concept of relative speed. 

    Let us assume that the distance between the station A and B is D Miles
    The relative speed at which the train are approaching each other is 20 + 15 = 35 mph
    When the train collides with each other, the sum of the distance covered will be the distance between the stations i.e. D.
    Now Speed = Distance/Time
    Which means that the trains will collide in d/35 hours after their start

    Another constant things we have here is the speed of the vulture i.e. 25 mph.
    Thus by the time the trains collide, the vulture would have covered
    25*(D/35) miles = 5D/7 Miles

    John123 Expert Answered on 19th July 2015.
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