Question P6 Same time, same distance
Today’s problem — free all day, every step. Every day has one.
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/h. At what time will the car catch up with the bus?
Two travellers spend the same time, or cover the same distance.
In this one. The car does not have to travel 60 km more — it has to close a 60 km gap, and the gap shrinks at the difference of the speeds, 90 − 60 = 30 km/h.
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.
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.
Worked examples of all 33 patterns and skills, in a booklet you can print.