Time, Speed and Distance Unplugged

For an MBA aspirant, a problem on time, speed and distance means solving complex situations with the help of many equations. Whether you are a CAT 2007 or 2008 aspirant, time speed and distance will give you many sleepless nights. The chapter has both easy and tough aspects to it. The easy aspect is the formula; there is only one formula- Distance = speed ´ time- and it is known to every student. The tough aspect of course is the application of the formula; most students apply equations to solve the problems based on this formula. Let’s have a look at a typical time, speed and distance problem:

Two trains start from stations A and B, respectively, towards each other at 12:00 noon. The trains take 7 hours and 13 hours, respectively, to cover the whole trip. What time do the two trains meet?

Well how would you solve it? If you already started writing an equation, hold your pen for a while. There’s a better method. The method owes its existence to fundamentals of ratios and proportions. Let’s have a look at the formula once again:

I conclude this chapter over here itself with only one thought for you all to ponder- I did not use equations in a single question. In the next chapter I’ll cover relative speed and circular motion. Till then, chew the cud over these problems.