Today’s problem — free all day, every step. Every day has one.
Aladdin and Jasmine — the magic carpet race
Aladdin and Jasmine were having a race on their magic flying carpets. They left the same starting point for the market at 13 00. Both of them did not change their speed throughout the journey. Aladdin travelled at a constant speed of 60 km/h. When he reached the market at 13 30, Jasmine was 3 km from the market. What is Jasmine's speed?
The pattern behind it: Same time, same distance
Two travellers spend the same time, or cover the same distance.
In this one. Both carpets were in the air for the same half hour, so once that half hour gives Aladdin's distance, Jasmine's is just his distance less the gap she had left to fly.
How to spot it
Two travellers set off together or one chases another, with constant speeds and a question about who is ahead, when they meet, or how far apart they are.
Common mistake
Children divide the whole distance by the difference in speed instead of dividing the gap between the travellers, or compare distances covered over different lengths of time.
Try one like it
Standard Bus and car — the catch-up A bus left Town X at 8:00 am travelling at 60 km/h. A car left the same town at 9:00 am travelling in the same direction at 90 km/…The 33 problem patterns
All 33 patterns, one to a page — the 19 behind Primary 5 and 6 word problems, and the skills the younger years are built on. The bar model, how to spot it in the question, and the mistake children make. A booklet you can print. Free.
A PDF, and a note when new solutions go up.