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brain teaser

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  • O omkamal

    Note:- Once you have read this teaser, check your time, you are allowed only a minute to answer this teaser. (be honest to yourself). Q:- The distance between east coast and west coast is 3000 miles. A train starts from east coast at 80mph and a train starts from west coast at 90mph. At one point they both met. What distance are both trains from the west coast? hurry up... 60 secs, 59, 58...;) omkamal

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    Michael P Butler
    wrote on last edited by
    #5

    the same distance :-D Michael :-)

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    • M Michael P Butler

      the same distance :-D Michael :-)

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      omkamal
      wrote on last edited by
      #6

      Voila!!!! here you go!!!! HollowMedia and Sean, you were able to find out the approx. distance using ur math only when I gave the speeds the trains were travelling. But what if the speed were not given??? So, "it is *equidistant* from either coasts no matter at what point they meet". Way to go Michael!!!!!!!;) omkamal

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      • O omkamal

        Voila!!!! here you go!!!! HollowMedia and Sean, you were able to find out the approx. distance using ur math only when I gave the speeds the trains were travelling. But what if the speed were not given??? So, "it is *equidistant* from either coasts no matter at what point they meet". Way to go Michael!!!!!!!;) omkamal

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        Todd Smith
        wrote on last edited by
        #7

        How do we know that you're asking for the distance once they've met? You could read that as 0 and 3000 miles from the west coast.**

        Todd Smith

        CPUA 0x007 ... shaken not stirred

        **

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        • O omkamal

          Voila!!!! here you go!!!! HollowMedia and Sean, you were able to find out the approx. distance using ur math only when I gave the speeds the trains were travelling. But what if the speed were not given??? So, "it is *equidistant* from either coasts no matter at what point they meet". Way to go Michael!!!!!!!;) omkamal

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          Nish Nishant
          wrote on last edited by
          #8

          omkamal wrote: So, "it is *equidistant* from either coasts no matter at what point they meet". The trains will be equidistant from both coasts only if they both travel with the same but opposite velocities. In every other case they'd be at unequal distances from the two coasts when they meet, unless the trains had stops at stations and the faster train has longer waits at stops. Nish My most recent CP article :- A newbie's elementary guide to spawning processes www.busterboy.org

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          • O omkamal

            Note:- Once you have read this teaser, check your time, you are allowed only a minute to answer this teaser. (be honest to yourself). Q:- The distance between east coast and west coast is 3000 miles. A train starts from east coast at 80mph and a train starts from west coast at 90mph. At one point they both met. What distance are both trains from the west coast? hurry up... 60 secs, 59, 58...;) omkamal

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            Chris Maunder
            wrote on last edited by
            #9

            One train is 3000 km from the west coast, the other is at the west coast (0km). Once they actually meet it's a whole different story ;) cheers, Chris Maunder

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            • N Nish Nishant

              omkamal wrote: So, "it is *equidistant* from either coasts no matter at what point they meet". The trains will be equidistant from both coasts only if they both travel with the same but opposite velocities. In every other case they'd be at unequal distances from the two coasts when they meet, unless the trains had stops at stations and the faster train has longer waits at stops. Nish My most recent CP article :- A newbie's elementary guide to spawning processes www.busterboy.org

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              omkamal
              wrote on last edited by
              #10

              Nish [BusterBoy] wrote: The trains will be equidistant from both coasts only if they both travel with the same but opposite velocities To answer the question, this assumption is not necessary. Because it is told that they both met at one point and asked what is the distance then. Nish [BusterBoy] wrote: In every other case they'd be at unequal distances from the two coasts when they meet This is totally not possible. How could they be at unequal distance if they both met...?? omkamal

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              • T Todd Smith

                How do we know that you're asking for the distance once they've met? You could read that as 0 and 3000 miles from the west coast.**

                Todd Smith

                CPUA 0x007 ... shaken not stirred

                **

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                omkamal
                wrote on last edited by
                #11

                ...from west coast at 90mph. At one point they both met. What distance are both trains from the west coast at this point? Should I change the problem statement as above? I think its pretty *understood*. omkamal

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                • O omkamal

                  Nish [BusterBoy] wrote: The trains will be equidistant from both coasts only if they both travel with the same but opposite velocities To answer the question, this assumption is not necessary. Because it is told that they both met at one point and asked what is the distance then. Nish [BusterBoy] wrote: In every other case they'd be at unequal distances from the two coasts when they meet This is totally not possible. How could they be at unequal distance if they both met...?? omkamal

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                  Luis Alonso Ramos
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #12

                  omkamal wrote: This is totally not possible. How could they be at unequal distance if they both met...?? What he means is that the distance from both trians to the east coast will not be that to the west cost, unless both trains traveled at the same speed. -- LuisR ──────────────   Luis Alonso Ramos   Chihuahua, Mexico   www.luisalonsoramos.com CPUA: 0xC0DE - No Sonork yet "Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I assure you that mine are greater." -- Albert Einstein

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                  • O omkamal

                    Voila!!!! here you go!!!! HollowMedia and Sean, you were able to find out the approx. distance using ur math only when I gave the speeds the trains were travelling. But what if the speed were not given??? So, "it is *equidistant* from either coasts no matter at what point they meet". Way to go Michael!!!!!!!;) omkamal

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                    Alvaro Mendez
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #13

                    Michael gave the clever answer, which seems to be the one you were seeking. But the question you asked was "What distance are both trains from the west coast?" This can be interpreted in two ways: 1. How far is each train from the West coast WHEN THEY MEET? In this case the answer is some numerical computation based on each train's speed. In such a case the answer is the same value, whatever that may be, for both trains. - OR - 2. How far is each train from the West coast NOW? In this case the answer is: 3000 for one and 0 for the other. Regards, Alvaro Behind a beautiful woman there's usually a guy who just couldn't wait to get rid of her.

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                    • C Chris Maunder

                      One train is 3000 km from the west coast, the other is at the west coast (0km). Once they actually meet it's a whole different story ;) cheers, Chris Maunder

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                      Paul Watson
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #14

                      Chris Maunder wrote: Once they actually meet it's a whole different story Yeah, they could get to know each other and have babies, or swap passengers and confuse the ticket inspectors. Or they could colonise the mid-west. Math always leaves me grasping for something without numbers in it. I remember horrible moments from school Math exams with questions like "if train x is travelling at z and train y is blah blah how hard will they impact at point t?" I normally wrote down "Trains seem to always be crashing into each other in Math exams, I think I will rather fly." Naturally I normally failed those Math exams... then again I failed most of my Math exams period. :rolleyes: regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge Sonork ID: 100.9903 Stormfront

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